Aminat Isah, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed an Executive Order on planning, execution, programmes and contracts projects with science, engineering and technology components.
The Minister of Science of Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, disclosed this at a consultative meeting with Director General(s) of Parastatals of the Ministry, in Abuja on Thursday.
He noted that the order would assist to reposition the country and reduce capital flight using vscience and technology as a major driver of the nation’s economic diversification process.
Onu said the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari to utilize science and technology at revamping the economy is due to his realisation of Science and Technology as the key instrument for the realization of the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017-2020.
“it shows the resolve of the present Administration to use science, technology and innovation as the new vehicle that will drive Nigeria to a new dawn. This will help diversify the nation’s economy such that more jobs are created, poverty reduced, illiteracy eliminated with a remarkable improved standard of living for all citizens”.
“the signing of the executive order is a very important step in the onward march of Nigeria towards developing the necessary local capacity needed for us to look inwards in our search for solutions to our numerous problems”
“Indeed, it is an important step toward moving Nigeria away from being a mere consumer country to an important producer nation. The order , when implemented , will help our beloved country reduce capital flight, enhance local capacity , strengthen local manpower development, encourage indigenous technology capacity , enhance national self-reliance and restore national pride” he added.
The Minister noted that the implementation and execution of the Order will be through a Presidential Monitoring and Evaluation Council driven by the Federal Ministry of science and Technology, with the President as Chairman and the secretariat domiciled with the Ministry.
The permanent Secretary of the Ministry Amina Shamaki earlier in her remarks urged the array of researchers in the ministry to double their efforts in the quest to record more breakthroughs in Science, Technology and innovations, in order to encourage the popularization of the activities of STI sector by the Minister.
