The Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has launched the transgenic cotton seed aimed at boosting the textile industry.
Dr. Onu said the introduction of new cotton seeds will boost the economy by giving birth to more Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the production of cotton seedlings and its by-products.
The new cotton seedlings will also result in higher yields and better pest-resistant varieties, he added.
Dr. Onu bemoaned the steady decline in the textile industry in the country over the years and said the Federal Government was determined to achieve a higher cotton yield to feed the nation’s textile mills.
The Federal Government, he added, would apply Science and Technology to process and apply the yields of cotton to the products needed by Nigerians so as to help fight extreme poverty and increase the earning of the country.
“We want all our research institutions to work together to achieve our common goal to deliver special services to our people”, Dr Onu said.
Speaking at the occasion the Minister of Agriculture, Chief. Audu Ogbeh said for Nigeria to make the needed progress among the comity of nations there should be a synergy among research institutes, the industry and universities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Bako Nabasu said Nigeria had reached the stage for sufficiency in the textile industry and had set the stage for global pride in the textile and garment industry.
Source: https://allafrica.com