Tertiary Education Trust Fund Says N300m Spent On Molecular Labs

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says about N300 million was spent installing molecular laboratories in the country.

The agency said the laboratories will be useful for research and clinical purposes, adding that the facilities will help sustain medical research in the country.

Executive Secretary Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, who received participants of the Executive Course 43 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS) in Kuru, Plateau State, said provisions will be made in the 2021 budget for the agency to fund the establishment of more molecular laboratories, research on gene sequencing and phytogenic medicine, as well as vaccine research and production.

Bogoro promised that research grants will be doubled in 2021, from the over 128 approvals made in 2020.

According to him, qualified institutions will draw a maximum of N50 million research grants from the N7.5 billion National Research Fund (NRF).

He added that the approvals will be announced as soon the Board of Trustees gives the go-ahead.

Acting Director-General of NIPS Brig.-Gen. Chukwuemeka Udaya said the 43-year-old institute has carefully served every government adding that the visit was to find out, deepen and further understand how TETFund has been able to get things done.