Bioresources Centre Odi in Bayelsa developes capacity to trace stolen crude

The Minister of Science and Technology Dr Ogbonaya Onu, on Friday said the Bioresourses Development Centre at Odi has developed indegenous technology for chemical 'fingerprinting of crude oil'.

Speaking at the inuaguration of the Advanced Bioresources Laboratory and Lvestock Feed Milling Complex, the Minister explained that the facility would assist in tracing the source of stolen crude crude.





According to to the minister the labouratory would also conduct genetic profile of indegenous  plants and animal resources with a view to preserving the nation’s rich biodiversity resources.

Onu noted that the federal government has charged researchers in the country to focues on market driven research and development and had closed the gap between research institutes and the societiey.

"The federal government had seen the disconnect between researchers and the society and indeed industry and we have resolved to change the narratives and the results are aleady with us.

"Earlier this week we have signed  Memorandum of Understanding with three companiesmto commercialise jndegenous research findings and I have just directed the rearch fellows here to focus on research themes relevant to the society.

"We have for so long been dependent on foriegn concerns for technology and it has not been to our economic advantage but we have resolved to look inwards and develop local solutions to our peculiar challenges as a nation.

"We are deploying technology as a tool for economic development and emphasis is on job creation and this particular centre in  Odi has so much capacity in agricultural sector ," Onu said.

Speaking earlier,  Mr Josiah Habu, Centre Director of the Bioresources Centre  noted that the laboratory would boost the research efforts of the scientists at the centre.

"This centre was established in 2003 by the National Bioresources Development Agency to extend its  iotech ology research capacity to therural areas and explore their untapped  bioresources, and the addition of this labouratory is a boost to the mandate of the agency.

"We have a very crxucial mandate of promotion, cordination and deployment of cutting-edge research and development process and products for the so io-economic wellbeing of the nation tk develop local capacity for research and development.

"The inuaguration of this facility is a plus for the researchers and it will go a long way in enhancing our effectiveness in research, field trials and promotion of biotechnology  processes." Habu said