Gombe varsity tasks chemistry students on tackling Nigeria’s challenges
The Pro-Chancellor and Founder of North-Eastern University, Gombe (NEU) Dr. Sani Jauro has tasked chemistry students in the state to engage in solution-driven research towards addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
Jauro gave the charge on Tuesday in Gombe while addressing Chemistry students from various secondary and tertiary institutions in the state on the occasion of NEU’s 1st Chemistry Day with theme: Chemistry Futures: “Inspiring the Next Generation”.
The event was organised by NEU in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry and PAN Africa Chemistry Network.
Jauro said it was important to sensitise chemistry students on the importance of the discipline in addressing societal problems in the country.
He said one of the challenges Nigeria is facing is that of unemployment, and with the right career path in Chemistry, the students could leverage the knowledge acquired to become self-reliant while creating jobs for others.
He said that since chemistry was related to every aspect of human living, it had become imperative to inspire young minds on their roles towards making the country better.
“The purpose of the event is to sensitise the world on the importance of chemistry with regard to how it affects human lives.
“We have decided to look at Chemistry in partnership with the Pan-African Chemistry Network and the Royal Society of Chemistry because chemistry is key in sciences and science is key humans.
“This university being a nexus for development, we feel that we should catch them young. We are showing them the kind of career that they can practice if they choose Chemistry as an area of specialisation,” he said.
Jauro decried depletion of the number of students studying chemistry, adding that such was not good for the technological and scientific development of any nation.
He said it was in that regard that his institution organised the event to encourage young chemists and other students to choose a career path in the field.
Jauro commended the Federal and Gombe State governments’ efforts at encouraging science education in the country, adding that such efforts must be sustained for the development of the country.
For her part, Hajiya Aishatu Maigari, the Gombe State Commissioner for Education, lauded the university for sensitising students on chemistry education.
Maigari said that the Ministry of Education would partner with the university to promote to encourage chemistry education in the state.
She said that the state government had done a lot to encourage science education by providing necessary infrastructure, training and recruitment of teachers, and creating environment conducive for learning in the state.
Dr Mohammed Isyaka, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said NEU had through its Centre for African Medicinal Plant Research invested in research towards boosting health sector in the country.
Isyaka said the Centre was making efforts towards addressing various health challenges by advising the herbal health practitioners on the safe use of herbal drugs they are administering.
He said the move was to reduce the health risk by exposing people to the toxicity of herbal drugs due to the excess consumption.
