A Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, Sokoto State University (SSU), Dr Ibrahim Muhammad, has urged chemistry students and graduates to explore the business potentialities of Chemistry.
Muhammad made the call in his lecture titled ” Chemistry Entrepreneurship for an Independent and Sustainable Future ” at the 2023 Festival of Chemistry organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS), SSU chapter.
He said chemistry touches all sectors of human lives as industrial and small-scale products are being produced daily for consumption and other services in society.
The Lecturer listed the products on agricultural practices, human lives, and building and construction materials, among others, all produced through education at different formations.
He said chemistry education had made an impact on society and become beneficial to society stressing that the prevalence of knowledge and it is foundational necessary for the growth and development of any nation.
” Knowledge is a tool for empowerment, unluck of potentials, especially entrepreneurship development at all levels. ” Muhammad said.
In his presentation, the Vice Chancellor of Iconic Open University Sokoto, Dr Shadi Sabeh, urged students and graduates to cultivate entrepreneurship habits and explore business initiatives in chemistry education.
Sabeh said government and institutional jobs were scarce, suggesting that foreign companies have taken over business opportunities that our indigenous people can produce with local materials.
He urged the ACS to expand the seminar initiatives and further inculcate business education in chemistry education.
The Faculty Adviser, SSU chapter of ACS, Dr. Thompson Izuagie, said no fewer than 100 secondary school chemistry students, teachers and academic staff of tertiary institutions, and technologists have participated in the event that features quiz competitions and lecture presentations.
Izuagie explained that it aimed to share knowledge and experience on entrepreneurship in chemistry and chemical safety with managers and operators of chemistry laboratories in order to improve chemical laboratory practices.
He added that entrepreneurship knowledge and chemical safety would help prepare chemistry students for global workplace challenges.
According to him, the knowledge gained is expected to broaden participants’ horizons in available business opportunities for self-reliance and reduce the incessant exposure of both the students and their teachers to avoidable laboratory hazards.
In his remark, the Vice-Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Prof. Bashar Garba, urged the participants to utilize the opportunity by putting the skills acquired into practice.
The VC, who was represented by the Director of Laboratory services, Prof. Abdullahi Ibrahim, disclosed that the university’s Chemistry programme was recently accredited by the ACS to develop safety skills in students and prepare them for a global workplace practice.