By Etop Ekanem

A laboratory equipment maker, Katchey Laboratory Company Limited, recenly commissioned Katchey Analytical Laboratories and performed the ground-breaking of the proposed Katchey Complex in Magboro, Ogun State.

The Katchey Laboratory Complex is expected to house manufacturing of laboratory equipment and consumables, training centre for laboratory analysts and bio-engineers, among others.

Speaking at the event, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, who performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed Katchey complex,commended a laboratory equipment maker, Katchey Laboratory Company Limited for building its laboratory station in Ogun State and called on more prospective investors to partner with his administration, adding that the state government will provide the need infrastructure.

The governor said his administration was looking forward to partnering with the initiative particularly through the Olabisi, Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital and the School of Health Technology.

He said: “The company will 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,” adding: “With a laboratory such as Katchey cited in the state, goods that are meant for export will now be certified for the international market.

“Citing of the laboratory in the state is a further testimony to the fact that the vision of my administration to provide an enabling environment for public private partnership is a reality.

“The laboratory complex is a welcome development in the health sector of the country, especially at a time the globe was affected by COVID-19,” adding: “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.”

In his opening remarks earlier, Chairman, Katchey Company Limited, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, who said the company, which had been in existence in the last three decades “has supported the growth and development of science in Nigeria by equipping science laboratories with quality analytical instruments, chemicals, reagents and consumables. Our partnership with world leading manufacturers of science laboratory equipment, chemicals and general  consumables across the globe have nabled us to become one of the leading providers in Nigeria.

I am glad to announce that the laboratory facility, which we have commissioned located in Ikeja, Lagos is ANSI National Accreditation Board, ANAB, accredited independent analytical laboratory complex, is a pert of The American National Standards Institute, and one of the top two accrediting bodies for analytical laboratories globally.

The facility is fully equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instruments from the Merck Group based in Germany and Thrmo Fischer Scientific of the USA. The facility also has a full Human Identification Workflow from Thermo Fischer Life Technologies. I am  proud to state that the Katchey Independent Analytical Lab is the first ANAB accredited independent analytical lab in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Katchey Laboratories are designed to provide quality analytical services for Nigerian businnesses in a number of industries, including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, agri-business, environtmental, mining and extractive, forensic and genomics and oil and gos. The lab is also available for the training and cerification of laboratory analysts and  bio-engineers by our qualified engineers/”

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Katchey Company Limited, Mrs. Kate Isa, said: “What started as sheer serendipity has grown to become the trailblazer in science laboratory space in Nigeria. So, Katchey eveloved from being just a supplier of laboratory chemicals and reagents, to providing total solutions to different kinds of laboratories, from design tobuild, to equip, to maintain and to operate.

“The proposed Katchey Complex will house manufacturing of laboratory equipment and consumables, additional capacity for  independent analytical laboratories, training centre for laboratory analysis and bio-engineers, conferencing and serminar facilities and offices warehouses.

“As they say, hard work never kills. I learned very early in my carrer that being a woman in male dominated terrain, I must bringserious value proposition to succeed. I must bea solution provider. I don’t want to be considered because of my gender.  I want win because of the value and the solution I bring to the table. So, woman, who wants a place at the table, step up, skill up and step forward and if the occupants refuse to allow you in, go sei up a table and if it is good enough, people will come to join you, including those who hitherto excluded you.

“Never quit. I believe in the saying that, quitters never win and winners never quit. Thought ups and downs, days and months of not knowing where the next month’s salaries would come from, being owed billions of naira for years for completed projects, executed with excellence, with the attendant value erosion due to continued depreciation of the naira and inflation, I refused to quit.

“Katchey satisfied all the conditions to go bankrupt at different times but I would not give up. In fact, our auditor once as me why I was still keeping the company open. Seeing that it had negative valuation at the time, but I refused to give in And for those women who wonder priotising family over their businnesses or careers, just look at me now! 

“For 22 years In was going kitti kitti katta, looking for a son while Katchey drifted. But today, my wonderful miracle whom I call Chidiebere is here and Katchey is poised to blow, borrowing young people’s language. Never quit!

“At this point I would like to share some burdens That I carry with the hope that as you all share in them, they will be lightened ands solution would be found.

“Nigeria needs her people to love her, own her believe in her and strive with their las breath to contend for her good. Please let us not lost hope and let us never give up on Nigeria. Please, I beg you all, Plans Bs and Cs and Ds to Z are not what it appears to be. The grass that appears greener on your neihbour’s lawn is just weeds that have been left unattended to.

“How can vegetative existence in oyibo land be an option for you? Please let us all join together to rebuild our nation, Nigeria. If you do your utmost in your area of expertise and I do my best in my area, as I am doing now, before long there will be a critical mass that strives to move Nigeria forward and Nigeria will be well on her way to healing. Quitting on Nigeria should not be an option you consider.”

Those, who spoke at the occasion included  Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Niyi Adebayo; Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah; Dr Ije Jidenma, Keynote speaker and Chairman, Council of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria, IOD among others. They  commended the initiative by the company which they said would promote self sufficiency in the country, adding that the Federal Government would continue to do all it can to end medical tourism.