FIIRO has capacity to alleviate poverty in Nigeria – DG

Dr. Gloria Elemo, the Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Lagos, says the institute has the capacity to alleviate poverty in Nigeria.
Elemo made this known when she was defending the institute’s 2017 budget proposal before the Senate Committee on Science and Technology on Tuesday in Abuja.
She said that the institute was a catalyst for national development and if given the priority it deserved, it would alleviate poverty.
She said the institute had the mandate to assist in accelerating the industrialisation of Nigeria through finding utilisation for the country’s raw materials and upgrading indigenous production techniques in areas of food and non-food products.
The FIRO boss added that the institute had the capacity to generate jobs, create wealth and reduce dependency on foreign goods through the micro, small, medium and large enterprises.
According to her, FIRO is well positioned to achieve all these by using it mandate and wealth of experience.
Elemo said: “Since its establishment, the institute has deployed its mandate to ensure diversification of the economy through industrialisation.
“It has also continued to play significant role in food and nutrition.
“The effort of the institute has led to increase in the number of micro, small and medium enterprises specialised in soap making, palm wine bottling and preservation and cassava processing among others.”
Elemo said from the 2016 capital budget, the institute was able to utilise over 250 technologies developed at FIIRO with relevance in 774 local governments in Nigeria.
She stressed that there was also the construction of skill acquisition centres in Sosan Akoko and Akoko East, both in Ondo State.
The director general urged the National Assembly to consider its 2017 budget as proposed to be able to deliver effectively on all key performance indicators as presented for the benefit of Nigerians.
According to her, the institute has a total budget proposal of N3.5 billion, out of which personnel is N1.3 billion, overhead is N151.9 million and capital is N2 billion.