Minister deplores state of hi-tech equipment in varsities

HEALTH Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has lamented the absence of hi-tech equipment in most Nigerian universities.For the few available ones, the minister said they had either broken down or were in a deplorable state.He linked the trend to poor maintenance culture and lack of spare parts to keep the sophisticated tools working.Chukwu made the assertion yesterday in Abuja at the launch of PRISM Scientific Association of Nigeria (PSAN).Represented by the ministry's Director of Procurement, Dr. Samson Opaluwah, Chukwu said one of the reasons why PSAN is an intervention body is to ensure proper procurement, installation, servicing and maintenance of scientific equipment in the country.Reprieve is, however, under way for four of the nation's universities as the MacArthur Foundation has unveiled a N160 million package for them.The money would be used to strengthen the scientific research facilities and infrastructure in the schools.The benefitting schools were selected after an audit of 15 universities in Africa initiated in 2007 by the group established that 42 per cent of scientific equipment in six Nigerian universities were in sordid state.At the event, the Director General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIRPD), Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel, said the dearth of competent local equipment vendors prompted the pilot audit.He listed Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; Bayero University Kano (BUK); the University of Ibadan (UI) and the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) as the beneficiaries.The University of Jos (UNIJOS) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) were assessed but not included in the grant because the $300,000 seed money was only enough for the four institutions.Gamaniel cited two-key strategies to be adopted by PSAN as building research capabilities through viable physical and virtual scientific infrastructure and manpower development.He said the 'overriding goal is to create a platform that would improve the science infrastructure base of Nigerian universities, polytechnics and research institutes, to support educational and development efforts through procurement, installation, service maintenance and long-term use of scientific equipment.'The NIPRD director general said the significance of PSAN include the removal of constraints to acquiring the right equipment and providing the enabling environment for the use of the equipment for maximum benefit.
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