Charles Nwaoguji
As part of its mandate incarrying out research and development in food and agro-allied processing technologies, pulp and paper processing, packaging and product designs and fabrication of equipment, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) has unveiled its newly fabricated innovative steam boiler at the ongoing 2019 Science, Technology Innovation Expo in Enugu.
The Director General of FIIRO, Prof. Gloria Elemo, explained that the innovative steam boiler was primarily designed for process heating in food related industries, saying that it can be used in all major industrial sectors such as food and beverages, pulp and paper products, textile, chemical and other industries.
“Steam provides heat and pressure for manufacturing processes. FIIRO developed technology process equipment that uses steam including drum dryer, pasteuriser, parboiler, palm oil refining plant, ginger oleo-resin, essential oil distillation plant, fruit juice/paste concentrate ethanol processing plant, pulp and paper digester, blanching, sterilisation, among others,” Elemo stressed.
She noted that the mobile garri processor was necessitated by the quest to bring garri processing equipment to the doorstep of small scale garri processors, adding that the technology has made garri processing cheaper, easier and more profitable.
Ealier in his opening remarks, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said science, technology and innovation are the weapons needed to fight poverty, hunger, sickness and unemployment, as well as to effectively manage sickle cell anaemia.
Onu noted that the economic recovery programme of 2017 – 2020 was a major responsibility of the Ministry of Science and Technology, stating that the ministry has, over three years, four key policies to drive the economic recovery process. “we have deployed science and technology in our various natural resources exploration and export to other nations to enable us earn additional foreign exchange and to create more jobs for Nigerians, both young and old.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mustapha Boss, noted that the government would ensure the creation of special intervention funds to drive science and technology in Nigeria.
Commending the ministry, he stated that the government has noticed the contributions of science and technology to national development and job creation, adding, “this exhibition showcases that science and technology can be used to solve human problems, and to also contribute to national development. We will use effective promotion of science and technology to move Nigeria to the next level.
“The use of science and technology is improving job creation and national security. We would provide the policy framework that will fast-track commercialisation of all R&D results of the research institutes under the Ministry of Science and Technology.”
