Adequate funding has been major problem of research in the nation’s institutions. RAPHAEL EDE writes that in the 57 years of independence and 18 years of uninterrupted democratic rules, the country is yet to approach the epoch of research.
Poverty in Nigeria could be attributed to lack of political will to fund research, innovation and development. This has resulted in social problems as kidnapping, militancy, insurgency, robbery, among others.
Nigeria as a country is not supposed to be poor because it has both human and material resources. Suffice it to say that Nigeria is one of the most endowed nations in the world as far as mineral resources are concerned.
The human resources are found in many well trained scientists and researchers in the country and the Diaspora.
So, if Nigeria should progress, it should take a cue from the countries that don’t have natural resources, yet they have become some of the richest nations of the world.
Japan, India, Malaysia, South Korean, among other countries, do not have most minerals that we have, yet through research and innovation, they transform natural resources that they import as raw materials from other countries into goods and sale to those countries they imported those raw materials from.
Lack of good leadership in Nigeria has been the bane of effective management of her resources, even when they know the importance of research, innovation and development; it does not give requisite attention to it.
Nigeria seems to be a country where anything happens and that is why everything about it continues to depreciate.
Her leaders have not given proper attention to research and development in other to transform the natural resources that the country has been overwhelmingly endowed with by God.
There are more than a hundred research institutes, colleges of agriculture and forestry and other allied institutions yet not much has been achieved to stem the tide in area of poverty or better the country’s technological development.
These institutes cover all aspects of development, but all are mere research buildings and workers and do not host proper research to enhance any sector the country’s economy.
There are no serious funding of research, innovation and development, the way it supposed to be as the research workers and infrastructure are not even taken care of.
Most researchers are compelled to use their salaries and allowances to conduct research in order to fulfill their mandate since their promotions are tied only to publishing their research result in both local and international journal.
Research institutes are not like universities where researchers conduct their research on any subject of their choice. Research institutes, colleges of agriculture and forestry etc; have specific mandates on areas of research and development.
The National Secretary General of Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku, said that research institutes do not have good conditions of service in Nigeria.
According to Ndubuaku, “the research policy agreement in Nigeria is almost out dated; the one in use was approved in 2004, with an understanding to review the agreement with federal government, every three years.
He noted that it was unbelievable that the document has still not been fully reviewed adding, government is not serious about research, innovation and development.
He said that it is surprising that whereas government policies and regulations states clearly that academic staff of research institutes are not inferior to those of academic staff of universities, yet those laws are not being observed.
“They are not being used to run the research institutes. Workers in research institutes earn the lowest salary in comparison to the academic staff in tertiary institutions even against the provisions of the law.
“But President Mohammadu Buhari, through the ministry of science and technology is now bridging the gap between theory and practical application of the research funding of the nation’s research institutes.
Government policies that started 50 years ago have been dusted, so that research and development will be given priority attention.
Most of the researches conducted in research institutes are kept in the libraries, but through the cooperation between the research institutes and industrial sector, with well funding of research institutes, colleges of agriculture and forestry, the nation’s potentials in research and development will be unlocked.
It will help to take research findings off the shelves into industries where they can be commercialised and made widely available to the people at a reasonable cost.
Research findings at various institutes, namely colleges of agriculture and forestry are more than what universities, polytechnics have generated, but poor funding has not allowed to be put into use.
There are 69 federal research institutes with specific mandate in Nigeria and they are conducting research on a new ground day by day.
About 80 per cent academic researchers, after becoming experts, move over to the universities, where salaries and conditions of service are attractive.
All the people in cocoa research institute with mandate for cocoa research are trained to become cocoa research experts.
When they leave cocoa research institute in search of greener pastures, they will no more carry out research on cocoa and their expertise is lost forever.
What researchers are asking government is to create right environment by effectively funding them. Look at National Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER), National Institute For Policy And Strategic Study (NIPSS), Federal Institute Of Industrial Research (FIIRO), among others, are lacking funds to conduct researches and their mandate are centered on social activities.
Research is the key for any development of a nation, where social, technological or economical development are needed. It will even solve the unemployment problem in the country. The positive impact of research on any product would be fully appreciated when funds are provided to the research institutes and other allied institutions sector of the economy.
Research, innovation and development are the main vehicles through which most of the advanced countries make a difference. Ratings of research institutes should be discarded, till when there are conducive environment for academic staff and proper funding.
Government should boost the research and development environment in Nigeria’s research institutes, colleges of agriculture and forestry so that research institutions will translate the economy into diversification for the country.
The goal of diversification can only be achieved when agricultural products and mineral resources are harnessed into industries for the creation of value-added products for both domestic and export markets.
With the present government zeal through promotion of science, research and innovation, proper funding of research will be achieved and the success of research will restore hope in the nation’s dream of becoming highly industrialized and economically stability.
Research findings at various institutes, namely colleges of agriculture and forestry, are more than what universities, polytechnics have generated, but poor funding has not allowed it to be put into use.
