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S/no	Topics	Quarterly/Date	Locations
1	Women and Child Health Care in Nigeria	Feb. 27^th 2006	Labake Hotels, Port Harcourt
2	Emergency Preparedness/Response in Aviation Industry in Nigeria	June 21^st – 22^nd 2006	Port Harcourt
3	Budgeting for Non-State Actors in Nigerian Budget	November 21 - 22	Abuja
4	Ecological Based Sanitation for Riverine Communities of Nigeria	Next Year Programme

REPORT OF THE 1^STEARTHWATCH ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 2004

FOCUS: THE USE OF POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) ON WATER QUALITY CONTROL IN NIGERIA

Preliminary Programme Of 3^rd EarthWatch Conference On Water 2004

27^th – 30^th September 2004

Davies Hotel, Bodija, Ibadan

1.1 Introduction

EarthWatch decided to organize a Roundtable discussion because of the need to take a critical look at various peculiar problems affecting development in Nigeria with a bid to proffer solutions to them.

At the second EarthWatch Conference on Water with the theme: Bacteria in Drinking Water: Public Health Implication, held in Port Harcourt in 2003. Dr. Gideon Abu of University of Port Harcourt, Department of Microbiology, highlighted the importance of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in Water Quality Monitoring. At the end of the conference even included in the communiqués that the use of PCR in Water Quality Control should be critically assessed and presented as a better option in Water Quality Monitoring. Thus developing a policy material, which will be presented to appropriate authorities or agencies of government.

1.2 Chairman’s Opening Remark: Prof. C. P. E. Omaliko, DG, National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja.

Prof. C. P. E. Omaliko, DG, National Biotechnology Development Agency, (NABDA) Abuja represented by Dr. Christie Onyia, welcomed all participants to the Roundtable and especially was delighted with the presence of the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun who was represented by Dr. Danladi Dada Kuta of National Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory and also the Honourable Minister of Environment Col. Bala Manda (Rtd) represented by the Zonal Controller, Federal Ministry of Environment, South – West Zone, Mr. Akin Awobamise. The chairman also noted that this Roundtable would enhance the activities of the Federal and States Ministries of Environment, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) especially when dealing with issues bothering on Water Quality Control.

To improve the relationship between man and his environment; to improve the quality of the earth, inform and educate the people about the earth or environment, to enhance self reliance and concern for the earth’s resources and to help people avoid, prepare for, and cope with the earth’s abuse and sudden reaction.