Bayelsa State government has reaffirmed its commitment towards supporting research activities in tertiary educational institutions to promote innovation and trado-medical health practices in the state.
The state deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the commitment on Monday while speaking at the fourth Niger Delta University public lecture at the law campus of the university in Ovom, Yenagoa.
In a statement made available by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the deputy governor equally indicated the state government’s readiness to partner the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) in the production of herbal medicine.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo noted that Nigeria had not made appreciable progress in health and other critical sectors because of over-dependence on foreign products and inability to utilise the benefits of good research.
He called on private organisations, particularly oil and gas companies operating in the state to align their corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects towards addressing challenges facing the people.
While commending the Niger Delta University for its recent innovations and inventions, the deputy governor promised that government will support the Natural Medicine Institute of the university in terms of training and distribution of its products.
Ewhrudjakpo, who announced that each local government area will sponsor at least 10 Bayelsans at the institute annually, indicated government’s readiness to also partner the University of Africa, Toru-Orua to ensure the availability of ‘Bayelsa Suya’ at all seasons.
“My presence here today is to show the support of the state government. We want everybody to know that government is behind the NDU in this particular endeavour.
“Let me again call on Shell and the other oil companies to come up and see how we can partner. The oil companies should stop seeing their CSR as being entirely at their instance.
“Their CSRs are now at our instance because it is what the child cries for, that you use in calming the child who is crying.
