Skip to main content

DRAMA IN SENATE AS RMRDC LISTS "KILISHI" AS RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

There was a mixture of anger and laughter at the Nigerian Senate on Monday when the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, Professor Hussain Ibrahim, listed kilishi production as a research success in 33 years.

While briefing the Senate committee on science and technology, Professor Ibrahim told the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Uche Ekwunife, and other members that kilishi, a locally spiced roasted meat, made in the north and popular among travelers in that region, is an outstanding achievement for the agency. 
Senator Ekwunife asked, “Your core mandate is to develop local materials. Can you tell us the local raw materials you have developed in the areas of health, brewery, construction, science, and technology, or agriculture? “Just give us the synopsis of what you have developed or generated for local industries. Tell us about your breakthrough.”  
Professor Ibrahim replied, “We have developed two varieties of Sorghum. We collaborated with agricultural research institutes, pharmaceutical industries because we produce ethanol from it and that is the basic raw material for the production of sanitizers. 
“Also from the same Sorghum, we developed other products like Glucose syrup, livestock feeds, material for breweries, and starch.” 
When asked if Nigeria is ready to stay independent from products like sorghum, Professor Ibrahim said: “We have not reached that stage. It goes through processes. We have tested it now but the stage we are now in the pilot stage. 
“That pilot stage will now lead to the optimization of the products. At that pilot stage, we would now see if what we have finally done is technically feasible or commercially viable. We have to determine that. 
“After we had determined that, we will now ask relevant industries to take them for mass production. In our 30 years of research activities, we are still the largest research Institute. But to be candid with you, we are making progress. 
“For now, we have developed technology to optimize Kilishi production. Research activities take time.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EMIR OF KASTINA TELLS PRESIDENT BUHARI TO SIGN PEACE CORPS BILL

The Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, has declared support for the Peace Corps bill passed by the National Assembly. The bill, which seeks to turn the Peace Corps, a non-government organisation, into a government paramilitary agency, has elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians. Proponents see it as an avenue to create jobs for thousands of youth while critics describe as a duplication of functions already being performed by existing agencies and creation of another bureaucracy at a time the country is finding it difficult to pay workers' salaries. The bill was opposed by existing military and security institutions in Nigeria and the Peace Corps leader Dickson Akoh is currently being prosecuted for alleged fraud. Apart from lawmakers, the bill is also supported by some prominent Nigerians including the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, who also asked Mr. Buhari to sign to it. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Katsina emir made a similar call on the president on Thursda...

AKEREDOLU, KEKEMEKE AND OTHERS BID MRS FAGUNWA GOODBYE

Read President Buhari’s Christmas Message To Nigerians

I felicitate with all Nigerians, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, on the joyous occasion of this year's Christmas.On this occasion of the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, let us all rededicate ourselves to the virtues of peace, love, honesty, justice, equity, piety, humility and service to others which he taught.There can be no doubt that a greater manifestation of these virtues and ideals in our lives will immensely help us to become a more united, peaceful, secure and progressive nation.Let us also reach out in love and compassion to fellow Nigerians who are in distress at this periodof our nation's history.I particularly urge you all to remember victims of terrorism and insurgency in the country, especially Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).The Federal Government will continue to collaborate with state governments and other stakeholders to ease the harsh conditions in IDP camps, while the ultimate objective remains to quickly put an end to insurgen...