Minister of State for Science and Technology Mohammed Abdullahi has said the ministry is well represented in the Presidential Task Force (PTF).
The minister, who stated this Tuesday in a chat with Blueprint in Abuja, also said various inventions by the ministry and its agencies were complementing the PTF’s activities.
Asked why the ministry was not part of the PTF, he said: “Science and technology is a research-based ministry and not about public talks. We believe we are adequately represented in the Presidential Task Force (PTF), with several ministries being there because it is an inter-ministerial committee, so it (PTF) represents every ministry and they consult every ministry at intervals, particularly on issues affecting these ministries.
“Again, an offshoot of the PTF committee, i.e. economic sustainability committee, and our ministry is a member and the essence is to allow few to drive the focus on the pandemic, while other ministries focus on the economy so that we don’t get distracted.
“We do our best in the area of sending memos, and they have been able to direct that all invention-related findings that have to do with scientific evaluation should be conducted by us on any COVID-19 equipment. So, it’s a major recognition of what we can do technically and professionally on STI,” he added.
Abdullahi further said rushing to be in the PTF would be like child’s play.
“It will be too distracting and choking, the best thing is to let things be the way they are. The synergy is working and we are all indirectly working collectively. As you know, we have done a lot of inventions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As it is now, we are focusing on research to find a solution to the virus itself, like the laboratories we have in SHESTCO and NABDA are to concentrate on getting the vaccine itself, so we can also join the rest of the world in getting the requisite solution to address the issue of COVID-19. We are better left o focus on this specific mandate,” the minister said.
