*Health Minister Pate: Laboratory Science Critical to Nigeria’s Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development*
*LOKOJA, Kogi State* — The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has described reliable laboratory analysis as “the backbone of evidence-based decision making” for environmental protection, water resource management, and solid mineral exploration in Nigeria. Prof. Pate made the remarks on Tuesday in Lokoja through the Minister of State for Health and social welfare Dr.Iziaq Salako while declaring open the 9th Conference of Public Analysts, COPA ’26, and the Annual General Meeting of the Society of Testing Laboratory Analysts of Nigeria, STLAN. The conference, tagged “The Confluence Conference,” has as its theme: _Environmental Protection, Water Resource Management and Solid Mineral Exploration in Nigeria: The Role of Public Analysts in Sustainable Development._ The Minister, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, Prof. Abdulrahaman Shehu Ozovehe, said the Federal Government recognizes...