FUNAI Academic Proffers Solution to Dwindling Nigerian Revenue

•  Says Beef Tallow Likely to Improve Ailing Economy

An academic in the department of Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo Ebonyi State, Dr. Cyprian Ume has called on all tiers of government and other relevant stakeholders to take note of the huge economic potential of the beef tallow especially now the country is embarking on economic diversification.

Dr. Cyprian Ume presenting his paper at the seminar

Ume, who spoke on the topic Processing and Quality Improvement of Nigerian Beef Tallow during the second edition of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology’s seminars series held at the Central Engineering Workshop said over the years, the different tiers of governments have failed to make good use of the huge economic benefits of beef tallow to increase and diverse her revenue base, noting that it is used in the manufacture of cosmetics and other allied products.

The researcher further explained that residues from the various abattoirs and slaughter houses were an invaluable cost effective material for soap making lamenting the abandonment of such to peasants rather than investing heavily on it to save the nation from the over reliance on importation of foreign soaps.

Cross section participants at the seminar

He argued that should various governments harness this waste; the money used in importation can be channeled into improving the erratic and epileptic power supply that has become the bane of the nation’s development as well create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.

The Head of Chemical Engineering Department further said that investment in beef tallow would not only generate huge GDP for the country, but will also create a green and cleaner environment because, the butchers are only interested is just the beef itself and nothing else while the ‘tallow’ is abandoned, thereby creating filthy environment with its attendant health implication on the neighborhood.

A communiqué was issued at the end of the presentation which called on all the tiers of government and relevant stakeholders and investors to rethink the ongoing economic diversification, to see beef tallow as critical in the Nigeria’s drive for multi-stream income, adding that the country has comparative edge on beef tallow over other nations.

The communiqué also stressed the multiplier effects of harnessing the tallow, noting that it will help in re-jigging the ailing economy.