The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has hailed a laboratory equipment maker, Katchey Laboratory Complex for building and opening his laboratory station in Ogun.

Abiodun also noted that the company would help to complement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement entered into by Nigeria and other African states to allow for free trade across the continent.

The governor, who made this known during the ground-breaking event of the proposed Katchey Laboratory

Complex expected to house manufacturing of laboratory equipment and consumables, training center for laboratory analysts and bio-engineers, among others, said that the country hasn’t been able to tap into the free trade zone because most of the goods expected to be exported were not certified worthy of export.

He further noted that with a laboratory such as Katchey cited in the state, goods that are meant for export would now be certified for the international market.

He added that the citing of the laboratory in the state is a further testimony to the fact that the vision of his administration to provide an enabling environment for public private partnership is a reality.

Abiodun stated that the laboratory complex was a welcome development in the health sector of the country, especially at a time the globe was affected by COVID-19.

“COVID-19 made us realize how unprepared we were for a medical emergency, it is my joy that this initiative will strengthen our health sector,” he said.

While disclosing that there cannot be a better place to cite the laboratory as Ogun which is the education capital of the country, the governor said that students from various schools in the state have continued to emerge first in Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics competition(STEM) and the global mathematics competition.

Abiodun disclosed that his administration was looking forward to partnering with the initiative particularly through the Olabisi, Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital and the School of Health Technology, called on more prospective investors to partner with his administration.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Katchey Company Limited, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa said that the company which had been in existence in the last three decades has continued to support the growth of science in the country by equipping science laboratories with quality analytical instruments, chemicals, reagents and consumables.

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Katchey Company Limited, Mrs. Kate Isa, who described the state as the most corporate-friendly state in the country, called on government at all levels to look at the educational curriculum as well as at the possibility of introducing digital science.

In their remarks, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah and his counterpart in the Trade, Industry and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, who both commended the initiative by the company which they said would promote self sufficiency in the country, said that the Federal Government would continue to do all it can to end medical tourism.

The laboratory company which is set to be completed between 18 and 24 months, would be home to the manufacturing of laboratory equipment and consumables, with additional capacity for independent analytical laboratories, training center for Laboratory analysts and Bio-Engineers, conferencing and seminar facility, offices and warehouses