By Charles Okonji
The Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has described the 2021 budget as being designed to enhance the capacity of Nigerian youth towards embracing Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for entrepreneurship.
Onu who disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the 18th National Council on Science, Technology, and Innovation in Abuja over the weekend, added that the Ministry has developed policies aimed at increasing the participation of youths in the development of STI in the country.
He pointed out that the policies include s, the Executive Order 05, the Economic and Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2030), the National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials, and a host of other policies developed by the Ministry.
The Minister stated that the recently launched Methanol Fuel Technology policy has started to yield positive fruits as over 20 private organisations and state governments have shown interest in its implementation.
Onu expressed that the dream of Nigeria to become a global socio-economic hub could only be achieved through the adoption and implementation of STI policies.
“Nigeria has the potentials to overtake many of the technologically developed nations of the world if more attention was paid to STI.
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” Recently, the African Union (AU) resolved that African nations should appropriate at least 1 percent of their GDP to the development of STI. Nigeria has to key into the resolution in order to make a meaningful socio-economic breakthrough. Nigeria should take the lead in Africa in the development of STI for sustainable socio-economic growth.
“The present time was auspicious for innovative strides and technological developments, especially with the outbreak of Covid-19 and its attendant disruptions to global economic activities,” Onu recounted.
Examining the Ministry’s towards finding a solution to the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted that the Ministry came up with a strategy on Prevention, Tracking, Testing and Treatment (PT3) on the short, medium, and long term basis.
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed said cultural institutions in Nigeria would benefit immensely from the nascent revolution taking place in the science and technology sector.
Lai called for the patronage of indigenous Earth Construction Technology which is indigenous, durable, cheaper, stronger, and long-lasting.
Earlier in her remarks, the UNESCO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Moma Enang said STI was a vital tool that can be used to rebuild the economies of countries, especially after the set-back of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Enang stressed the development of gender-sensitive policies on STI, adding that it will bridge the gender gap in the scientific community.
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