Bayelsa State government has reaffirmed its commitment towards supporting research activities in tertiary educational institutions to promote innovation and trado-medical health practices in the state.
The state deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the commitment on Monday while speaking at the fourth Niger Delta University public lecture at the law campus of the university in Ovom, Yenagoa.
In a statement made available by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the deputy governor equally indicated the state government’s readiness to partner the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) in the production of herbal medicine.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo noted that Nigeria had not made appreciable progress in health and other critical sectors because of over-dependence on foreign products and inability to utilise the benefits of good research.
He called on private organisations, particularly oil and gas companies operating in the state to align their corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects towards addressing challenges facing the people.
While commending the Niger Delta University for its recent innovations and inventions, the deputy governor promised that government will support the Natural Medicine Institute of the university in terms of training and distribution of its products.
Ewhrudjakpo, who announced that each local government area will sponsor at least 10 Bayelsans at the institute annually, indicated government’s readiness to also partner the University of Africa, Toru-Orua to ensure the availability of ‘Bayelsa Suya’ at all seasons.
“My presence here today is to show the support of the state government. We want everybody to know that government is behind the NDU in this particular endeavour.
“Let me again call on Shell and the other oil companies to come up and see how we can partner. The oil companies should stop seeing their CSR as being entirely at their instance.
“Their CSRs are now at our instance because it is what the child cries for, that you use in calming the child who is crying.
“I’m also here to show that we cannot remain where we are and expect to get to our destination. We have remained where we are for too long. Benefits of research are not made public and utilised. We are ready to put a stop to all that.
“And that is why I want to challenge the University of Africa to come out with the capacity and capability for us to improve on its innovation and ensure that we have a laboratory to produce the Bayelsa Suya and make it available in and out of season,” the deputy governor said.
The Vice Chancellor of NDU, Professor Allen Agih noted that Bayelsa State has comparative advantage in natural medicine which must be harnessed to enhance sustainable development of the state.
To achieve this, Agih, disclosed that the NDU had taken some necessary steps, including the establishment of a new faculty and institute of natural medicine to contribute towards providing affordable and accessible healthcare to the people of the state and beyond.
Also, the Director, Natural Medicine Institute of NDU Professor Kolawole Ajibesin, described Bayelsa as the hotspot of biodiversity with multifarious flora and fauna that support the production of world class natural medicine.
Ajibesin stressed the need for Nigerians to patronise well-researched and produced indigenous herbal drugs, pointing out that most industrialised countries have herbal medicine as an integral part of their healthcare systems
Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Professor Martins Emeje, urged Nigerians to liberate themselves from all vestiges of colonialism which inhibit self-reliance and national development.
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