The Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr Obi Adigwe, has been shortlisted among the winners of the National Production Award 2019/2020.
He emerged top in the health sector category which was competed for by many chief executives and heads of agencies in the health sector.
Barring any last-minute changes, sources indicate that President Muhammadu Buhari will personally confer the award on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Sources at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity indicated that Dr Adigwe emerged top among many other contenders to become the first prominent healthcare chief executive to clinch the highly coveted Productivity Awards for the 2019/2020 session.
Dr Adigwe emerged top following a vigorous evidence-based selection process that reviewed hard work, excellence, innovation and productivity output from 2017 to 2020.
It would be recalled that in 2017 and 2018, Adigwe had, as Executive Secretary of PMG-MAN, led advocacy efforts to reverse the insidious Common External Tariff (CET), which threatened the entire Pharma Industry.
Dr Adigwe was among those that conceptualised the Medicines Security Concept, which laid the foundation for drug and vaccine manufacturing initiatives that have now taken centre stage following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, he had made his mark by designing and implementing the robust and comprehensive advocacy plan that led to the ring-fencing of local manufacturing for several main categories of medicines in the 2016 National Fiscal Policy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adigwe’s performance as Director-General of the NIPRD led to Nigeria’s emergence as a leading scientific authority in evidence-based policymaking.
Notably, he led the team that provided the first international categorical analysis on the COVID Organics preparation which then underpinned decision making that saved countless lives and conserved millions of dollars.
A cross-section of stakeholders from within and outside the health sector have lauded the recognition of efforts of the Dr Adigwe, especially since he was appointed barely three years ago.
Scientists and academics across the country further noted that Adigwe’s performance is evidence that Nigeria should focus on meritocracy in the selection of heads of agencies and Chief Executives so as to ensure the emergence of round pegs in round holes.
It would be recalled that at a media briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said that among those shortlisted for the award include the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, former Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr Chike Ihekweazu, Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr Akin Abayomi, industrialist Abdulsamad Rabiu and billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga Jnr.
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