The federal government has made available N5 billion for research into cure for the coronavirus disease.
The minister of state for education, Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba stated this on Arise Television programme monitored in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said researchers in federal government universities were working very hard to find a vaccine and cure for COVID-19.
Besides the money set aside for research, Nwajiuba said coordinated activities had commenced among researchers in the country on finding vaccines that can help in the prevention of the disease.
“Nigerian universities are working very hard to finding a solution, and this is being done in a coordinated manner; some are doing researches at the molecular level, other are looking at the vaccine levels, and so on.
“I spoke to the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, and he told me they were already talking to all the universities to coordinate research efforts against COVID-19. The coordination is important because the World Health Orgnisation (WHO) has stressed on coordinated race. It is not a competitive race.
“The executive secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) is also coordinating the efforts of everybody; so, we know who is doing what. They need to know who is researching on the molecular level, vaccine level, and the rest. The universities are providing some sort of guidance to the researchers,” he said.
The minister also said federal ministry of education was also working towards providing electronic learning for primary and secondary students through the use of radios, televisions, and the internet, adding that this would ensure they are also learning while staying at home.
