By Abel Kolawole 

President of the Association of Science Laboratory Technologists of Nigeria, ASLTON, Mr  Omorilewa Ayorinde Oyewale, in this interview, fingers quackery, border porosity, harassment from sister professional bodies, among others, as reasons for low laboratory standards in the country. Excerpts:

What exactly is ASLTON all about?

It is the umbrella body of scientists and technologists licensed and chartered by the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology, NISLT. The Institute was promulgated by Act 12 of 2003 of the National Assembly to advance science laboratory technology Profession in Nigeria as its core mandate by ensuring through registered members, effective and efficient management and administration of all science laboratories in Nigeria. ASLTON is empowered by the Act to be the welfare arm of the profession. It has the sole objective of taking care of the well-being of all licensed members irrespective of their specialties and place of work.

They are licensed to practice in various sectors of our economy, which include educational, research, health, environmental, mining and agriculture, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, industries, military and paramilitary forces. The laboratory as a space has a lot of potential locked in there, and a government that seeks to improve the nation must harvest the avalanche of resources there. The motto of the association says “applying science to serve humanity.” The licensed and chattered members in all sectors have their main objective as improving humanity through the knowledge of science.

What are the key challenges faced by science laboratory technologists in Nigeria, and how is ASLTON addressing them?

Over the years, the association has faced several challenges ranging from quackery to harassment from sister professional bodies to lack of motivation from the government and poor national infrastructure. 

The porosity of the Nigeria border system has allowed a lot of influx into what is supposed to be a terrain controlled by licenced professionals into a hub of all comers market. Most laboratory results are not reliable because they are being handled by quacks. Most industries can not maintain a good standard of their products because they have unqualified personnel manning their quality control laboratories. The business lines of science laboratory technology are infiltrated with quacks, and it is difficult to clean up the mess created unless the government wades in. Equipment and chemicals are being franchised by people who know nothing about originality and adulterated materials. The infrastructural level of Nigeria is causing a great challenge to the profession, erratic power supply, bad roads, and other infrastructure that are lacking are forcing a lot of businesses to fold up. 

This, of course, has led to the loss of jobs among  professionals and caused them to seek greener pastures overseas. Another challenge causing this brain drain is the lack of motivation from the government to the profession. 

No access to funds for research and start-up businesses for science laboratory professionals.

The association, in conjunction with the parent body NISLT, has taken steps in the last few years to mitigate some of the challenges faced by members of the association. The association has stepped up its advocacy visit recently in order to combat quackery and to open the eyes of establishments and parastatals to the fact that our practising license is essential when employing staff into the laboratory. On the issue of harassment by the sister professional body, consultations are ongoing at the level of the supervising ministries and a recent court judgement in favour of our association has reduced the pace of the so called harassment. 

The lack of motivation from the Federal Government is really demoralising, but the National President of the association, in a speech delivered during the 38th annual conference of the association in conjunction with NISLT, said that it is high time that the government set up a special fund to give interest free loans and grants to members of the association with innovative ideas that can lead to scientific breakthroughs through which the country economy can be salvaged. The government can also ensure that the scheme of service for the profession is domiciled by all and sundry.

How does ASLTON contribute to the development and advancement of science laboratory technology in Nigeria?

As an umbrella association for scientists and technologists of various specialties, our members have contributed immensely to the development and advancement of science laboratory technology in Nigeria through their various employers in all facets of the nation. Members have risen to the task during the various pandemic in our nation by being pivotal to the diagnosis of the various causative organisms of epidemics like the Ebola virus, Lassa fever, and most recently COVID-19.  

We have members who, through collaborative research, were part of a research team that got a breakthrough in producing diagnostic kits. So, many other technological breakthroughs have been recorded by our members in their various techniques. Scientists and technologists in some of our armed forces are used in creative departments that enhance the effectiveness and reliability of the force when it comes to production and fabrication of some material. The annual scientific conference of ASLTON and NISLT allows members and non-members to showcase their various scientific research, innovations, and inventions.  Young talents from  institutions are encouraged to come with fabrications that can become homegrown products. Annually, the parent body (NISLT) lined up a series of practically oriented hands on training for members in their various specialties in order for them to be up-to-date in the profession. State chapters and various branches all over the nation do come up with professional lectures, seminars, workshops, and symposiums, all to enhance the capacity of members of the association.

How does ASLTON collaborate with other organizations or stakeholders in the field of science laboratory technology?

Collaborating with other organisations and stakeholders in the field of science is one thing that the association holds dearly. The association in the course of her advocacy visit have been able to create an avenue for collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force whereby they send their technologists for training at NISLT headquarters Ibadan, where we have all necessary facilities in place to undertake such. There are other planned advocacy visits in the pipeline to some paramilitary forces to open them up to the immense capability of our chartered professional members and what they can offer to specific units, departments and formations in their forces, which will go a long way in reducing the importation of some materials and thereby save cost and above all, place the country at a very vantage position in overcoming all the insurgencies here and there. 

The mother body NISLT is also supporting organizations with good facilities at her disposal on various researches from medicals to agriculture, to pharmaceuticals, etc. For instance, an MOU was recently signed with an institution in the South-West  on glass blowing training and production. All these collaborations are ongoing, and we are sure the country will immensely benefit from it. In the pipeline is the collaborative plan with agencies like NAFDAC, FIRRO, SON, NDLEA, NSCDC, NPF, MAN, and Nigeria army. These collaborative efforts will create an avenue for our members to help the various organisations put the right peg in the right hole and thereby enhance their productivity. ASLTON is equally working towards collaborating with other relevant professional associations through the association of professional bodies of Nigeria in order to render fruitful service to our nation.

How does ASLTON promote the importance of science laboratory technology in education and research?

The association believes in catching them young. This is what has helped countries like China and some other European nations. That is why one of our present struggles is to see that licensed Science Laboratory Technologists are manning all science laboratories in all our institutions, starting from secondary schools to all post-secondary institutions all over the country. We are also canvassing that people employed into all forms of laboratories should strictly be our licensed members whom we are sure of their training and we know that they can help the course of good research in all types of laboratories. We are in the process of formulating skills that science laboratory technology students will acquire in the course of their training in various higher institutions. This will sharpen their entrepreneurial skills and prepare them for the future.

What opportunities does ASLTON provide for professional development and networking for its members?

ASLTON at the just concluded conference inaugurated the Guild of Directors of Science Laboratory Technology. The main objective of this subunit is to network together all licensed and chartered colleagues all over the nation for collaborative efforts in advancing science laboratory business chains. This, among others, we believe will annex the immense resources in the profession to benefit the economy of our great nation. We are also making efforts on how to make training and retraining accessible to all our members nationwide by collaborating with NISLT and some state chapters and institutions to organize such training. As an association, we encourage research that can benefit the whole of human kind and most especially collaborative research cutting across various specialities among our members. We are also working on opening up more international collaborations for greater enhancement of our members.

Everybody from all strata of the economy appears to be leaving the country in droves leading to the dearth of core professionals, which of course leads to quackery leading to sub standards and untimely deaths. What are you doing about it?

The brain drain of professionals is greatly affecting the profession and we believe, like I  emphasized earlier, that if the government can come up with enhanced scheme of service for the profession and monitor its implementation in all ministries, departments, agencies, industries, institutions, research centres, it will go a long way to stem the tide. The government also needs to create a purse to give non-interest loans to members who have innovative ideas to allow members to start science laboratory businesses. Improved infrastructure will also help to stem the tide of brain drain, good roads, stable electricity, and government helping to stamp out quackery in the profession. Above all, the government should ensure the safety of all citizens and improve the overall security of the country so that businesses can thrive and thereby create more employment opportunities for our members.

How do you juggle pastoral work, your professional job, and the politics of leadership of your association?

Joggling my pastoral work with my professional job and the politics of leadership of an association surely needs a special grace. I thank God for his mercy and grace. One thing that is sure is that I see both my profession and the leadership role of the association as an extension of the ministerial assignment from God. Touching and improving lives is a passion, and if God allows that to be done for a profession in the country, why not, since He will supply the grace.