We Are Examining Claims On COVID -19 Cure- Minister

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has said that the ministry has begun verification claims for the cure of COVID-19.

He made this known at the quarterly management meeting of the ministry and its agencies in Abuja on Tuesday.

It would be recalled that the ministry had offered the sum of N36 million to scientists and innovators that could find the cure for COVID-19 and Lassa fever.

Onu said all submissions for the COVID-19 cure have been directed to the Academy of Science for verification as well as recommendation to the ministry, adding that the ministry is working hard to develop home-grown solutions to help manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

He assured that encouraging results have been submitted and in no distant time, details on the submissions would be made known to the nation.

According to him, for Nigeria to have increased foreign earnings, the country must look inwards for solutions to its problems and export the same to other countries.

The Minister of State in the Ministry, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi said the two ministers are working to procure huge grants in order to support research and development efforts in the Science and Technology sector. While calling on the Directors and DGs of the ministry to show more commitment in their work so as to realize the mandate of the ministry.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Mohammed Bello Umar admonished the DGs of the ministry’s agencies to highlight priority areas in the preparation and execution of their budget.