The Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Martin Ike-Muoso has urged polymer scientists in Nigeria to evolve polymeric products that are degradable and eco-friendly.
He made the call at the opening ceremony of the 6th Annual Polymer Institute of Nigeria (PIN), in Abuja on Wednesday with the theme, ‘Polymer Optimisation, using Artificial Intelligence for Economic Recovery, CNG and Cleanean Energy Development’ on Thursday in Abuja.
Ike-Muoso represented by the Director, Chemical and Pharmaceuticals, RMRDC, Dr. Abubakar Kolere, said, “One other challenge that has always come to us and both you is the issue of bi-degradable polymer. It has remained a challenge and it has been a challenge to all polymer scientists and it has been the challenge of manufacturing. It has been an issue even in the SDGs; the menace of plastic waste is a challenge.
“One of the ways is to look at and address that issue is if you can develop biodegrable polymers especially from various resources, researches and other sources. With that we can do quite a lot; develop the sector, protect the environment and mitigate the effects and impacts of climate change and global warming.”
The national president of PIN, Prof. Paul Ejikeme, who spoke on the manufacturing and use of polymer products said, “Anytime you mention polymer people’s mind will quickly run to those places where polymer is a problem. As polymer institute of Nigeria what we are doing as a professional body is to be more like a pressure group on government to make sure that a number of legislations, policies are put in place to ameliorate part of the problems associated with the use of polymer.”
The keynote speaker, President of African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Prof. Azikiwe Inwualu, said, “I believe that we have sufficient number of eminent scientists, industrialists, professionals, policy makers, regulators and civil society in this conference to interrogate these issues in order to evolve sustainable solutions that can ensure optimisation of polymer production and utilization processes for economic development and environmental sustainability.”
He called on government and other relevant stakeholders to live up to their expectations so that the Polymer sector can galvanise industrialisation.
He stated, “The role of government in achieving the above is key. The various institutions and regulatory agencies that have been established under the PIA should be reinforced and enabled to function optimally in such a way that the downstream oil and gas industries can thrive in Nigeria.
“This will lead to a new wave of industries in the sector which will eventually provide the required raw materials for the other industrial sectors, leading to re-industrialization of Nigeria and hence providing a sustainable solution to the paradox of the Nigerian economy.”
The Deputy Director, RMRDC and Chairman Local Organising Committees (LOC), of the conference, Mrs. Elizabeth Dashe, said, “There is nothing that is not polymer, polymer has very wide use. And for any government or country to have good economic recovery you need to develop the polymer sector.”
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