The Federal Institute of Industrialised Research Oshodi has won the star prize of N1Billion in a competitiveness assessment of the 17 agencies of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu disclosed this during the consultative meeting with Director Generals of parastatals of the Ministry in Abuja.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) won the second prize of N700 million and Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) came third with N500million prize respectively.
The Minister said the award should make the agencies achieve more and do their utmost best in promoting the vision and mission of the Ministry.
Onu said the assessment was made by a high-powered Competitiveness Assessment Committee (CAC) co-chaired by credible nominees from the Academy of Science and the Academy of Engineering.
On the other hand, the remaining reputable members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Science Association of Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, the National Universities Commission, among others.
He further said that the committee assessed each agency on the quality and relevance of their individual mandates, which range from the number of patents, quality and relevance of research to national development to the number of research findings successfully commercialised.
The FMST boss said the Ministry took the decision to challenge the competitive spirit of the agencies by creating a reward system for those who excelled in their assigned duties so as to ensure effective deployment of Science, Technology and Innovation to drive the economy.
