The 9th national workshop on “Repair and Maintenance of Scientific Engineering Equipment in Universities, Research Institutions and Small Scale Industries” successfully concluded on May 27, 2016 in Enugu, Nigeria.

Held under the COMSATS-ISESCO Biennial Cooperation Programme 2016-17, the 5-Day workshop was jointly organized by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST), Nigeria. The workshop was hosted by the Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, Nigeria.

The resource persons from Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Pakistan, Mr. Arif Karim and Mr. Faisal Ghazanfar imparted training to over 40 researchers, academics, technicians, and engineers from different organizations of Nigeria in this 5-day workshop.

The technical proceedings of the event, spread over 10 technical sessions, comprised lectures on repair and maintenance and hands-on training for: Atomic Absorption System; Spectrophotometer; XRF Systems; Gas Chromatograph; HPLC Systems; Mass Spectrometer; Flame Photometer; High Vacuum Systems; Thermal Analyzer (TGA/DSC); Thermal Equipment (Oven & Furnace); Melting Point Apparatus; Bomb Calorimeter; Viscometer; Refractometer; High Temperature Carbon Sulfur Analyzer; Flue Gas Analyzer; Inverter System; pH Meter; Conductivity Meter; and Laboratory Balances. During the course of the event, the participants also visited different labs of PRODA and National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu, for consolidation of the knowledge acquired during the training sessions.

Using the knowledge and techniques, learnt during the workshop, participants and experts successfully repaired/made operative a number of expensive and important equipment. The equipment that was repaired/made operational include; Bomb Calorimeter, Adept HPLC, X-ray Machine, Flue Gas Analyzer, Ultrasound Machine, UV/Visible Scanning Spectrophotometer and a few other Spectrophotometers, ViscoBath, Melting Point Apparatus, Electric Vacuum Drying Oven, UV Spectrophotometer, Melting Point Apparatus, Online UPS, Analytical Balance, Solar-Invertor, Oscilloscope, Electric Transversal Machine, and Mixer and Shaker. The approximated worth of instruments repaired/made operational during the workshop was more than US$ 90,000. The repaired instruments included not only from the labs of PRODA but also from other organizations including UNIZIK University, National Orthopedic Hospital.

The workshop encouraged and promoted self-reliance among Nigerian scientists and institutions for repairing and maintaining their scientific equipment to help them save time, effort and finances involved in outsourcing the task.

The closing ceremony of the event was held on May 27, 2016, Mr. Abayoni Oguntunde, Director, FMST, Nigeria, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Mr. Nisar Ahmad, Deputy Director (Systems) COMSATS presented the technical report of the workshop. Engr. Dr. Charles Agulanna, Director General, PRODA, gave vote of thanks acknowledging the support of COMSATS and ISESCO in organizing a much needed workshop in Nigeria.

He showed his pleasure while sharing the success of the workshop and informed the participants that about 22 scientific equipment that were repaired/diagnosed during the technical sessions. The participants expressed their gratitude to COMSATS and ISESCO for organizing the workshop and for providing such an opportunity of learning and enhancing their technical expertise. Mr. Oguntunde, presented thanked both COMSATS and ISESCO for the workshop and appreciated the experts for their hard work. He along with Engr. Dr. Agulanna and Mr. Ahmad, distributed the certificates among the participants. The ceremony concluded with the hope that scientists, engineers and technicians trained in the workshop would further arrange trainings in their respective organizations.