The Katsina State Government has commended the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) for its conceptualization of the Model Chemistry Laboratory Project for Secondary Schools.
The Executive Governor of the State Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari gave the commendation while commissioning the NOTAP Model Chemistry Laboratory at Government Science Secondary School Batagarawa, Batagarawa Local Government Council, Katsina State recently.
The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation of the State, Engineer Mustapha Mahmoud Kanti Bello said the project will help nurture young talents in Research and Development (R&D) that will add value to the scientific and technological development of the State.
He expressed appreciation to NOTAP for siting the project in his State noting that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to harness its scientific and technological potentials through research and application in order to address the challenges facing the State.
Governor Masari pointed out that the State Government in November 2019 upgraded the Department of Science and Technology to a full-fledged Ministry for enhanced research coordination coupled with the drafting of the Katsina Science and Technical Education Board under the Ministry for better service delivery to the citizens in the area of Science Education, Technology and Innovation.
The Governor expressed optimism that the quality of the equipment in the laboratory, it will add value to the scientific enterprise of both the teaching staff and students of the institution and the state as a whole.
In his earlier remarks, the Director General NOTAP Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim who was represented by the Director Consultancy Services department of NOTAP Dr. Adamu Abu Tandama said the project was conceptualised to build the capacity of young Nigerians to create homegrown technologies.
He added that the project is meant to arouse the interest of Secondary School students to undertake science subjects and also encourage science teachers to have access to modern equipment that will simplify science education to the students through practical.
Dr. Ibrahim who revealed that the project cost the Office about 15 million naira added that it is intended to help build the future science technologists that will embark on demand-driven research for the much-desired scientific development of the nation.
He stated that the project commenced in 2021 but only three states are being considered under this year’s budgetary provision which are Katsina, Bauchi and Anambra States.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary Katsina State Science and Technical Education Board Alh. Lawal Bosa represented by the Director of Science of the Board Abdullahi Tsiga said the Board is highly impressed with the state-of-the-art equipment provided by NOTAP in the laboratory.
He commended NOTAP for a job well done noting that his agency would ensure that the school properly utilises the equipment for scientific research that would help solve the challenges facing the State.
Katsina State is the first State to benefit from the NOTAP Model Chemistry Laboratory Upgrade Project and it is expected that with the laboratory in place, future graduating science students from the school will not only excel in their NECO, WAEC and JAMB examinations but will become top-notch researchers of the future.