Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Bamalli has urged the management of the National Research Institute For Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria to embark on strategic partnership with a view to strengthen the funding deficit at the institute.
He made the remark during an interaction with the staff after touring facilities at the institute on Thursday in Zaria.
Bamalli described NARICT as a goldmine, adding that the CEO needs not struggle with funding the institute.
According to the emir the director general has all it takes to run the institution without kobo from the government because he only needs strategic partners.
He said staff were normally fearful when it comes to Public-Private Partnership (PPP) thinking that you are asking for the privatization of the institution; stressing that PPP is a global trend.
He added that government funding alone would not sustain an institution like NARICT, “you have to work hard and strategize; come out with viable suggestions that would make it perform optimally without waiting for funding from the government to support you’.
`I am not saying that you should not expect anything from the government but government funding would just restrain you from doing much more,’’ he said.
Bamalli commended the the Director- General over the infrastructural developments and other accomplishments at the institute.
``I have seen the nature of your operations here which was very similar to what I have been doing as the acting managing director of the security printing and minting company.
“I have seen the shelf floor, production line, raw material almost every was very similar in the factory but the difference between what we used to have at mint and here was that in the mint we import all our machines and raw materials.
“But here you fabricate them locally, obtain your raw material locally which means you have everything locally sourced, this is very good for our country.
“The manpower, I was very impressed with those officers that took us through the production process from the beginning to the end, you have very sound people which is also highly commendable.
He, therefore, implored the staff of the institution on unity and tasked the management with justice and fairness to all regardless of religious affiliation and ethnicity.
Earlier, Prof Jeffrey Barminas the Director-General of the institute commended the royal father for the visit and reiterated that the mandate of the NARICT could greatly harness Nigeria’s economic stability and growth.
He said the national research institute was saddled with the responsibility of advancing the progress of science and research development that would see the efficient utilization of natural resources, converting them through an innovative way into different industrial products.
The Director-General said the institute was involved in the backward integration especially in the non-oil sector to further strengthen value chain development in the country.
He, however, lamented over what he described as destabilizing agents within and outside the institute who were averts with the development at the institute since his assumption of office in 2017.
According to him, the destabilizing agents were causing disunity in the institute; I took my time to be patient; talk them, with a view to achieve all inclusive participation towards improving the mandate of the institute.
“But for me as the leader of the institute I will remain committed towards lifting the institute, improving the research atmosphere in Zaria and bring the needed economic benefits to this area.
“`Your Highness we will work with other critical stakeholders to stop this nonsense that is happening, we will ride on your goodwill, authority and power to see that such is stop in this institute,’’ he said.
COV/Ibrahim Suleiman
