Minister charges NSE to transform Nigeria

By David Agba

Abuja

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu yesterday enjoined Engineers to intensify efforts towards the current wave of transformation of the Nigerian economy.
Onu who delivered a keynote address at the on-going National Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting organized by the Nigerian Society of Engineers in Abuja, urged the Engineers to ‘get ready, Nigeria needs you now more than ever before, we are in a stage of transforming Nigeria like never before, you cannot be left behind.
“Policies and programmes are being put in place to ensure that certain things we do wrongly would be corrected, some even involving ministries like those of Interior, that would have a specialized visa to screen expatriates entering Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, President of the NSE, Engr Otis Anyaeji, noted that if the government must merge ministries, then, there is need to appoint more ministers with the requisite knowledge and experience to handle the affairs of such ministries.
Speaking on the Medium Section and Structural Mill (MSSM). He said the standard gauge rails production at the MSSM can be achieved. “Expert opinion on this project is that apart from adding value to the MSSM, it will expedite the meeting of the requirements of Nigeria and other West African countries in railway rails and generate significant profit as well as social benefits.”
On space technology, Anyaeji affirmed that the application of space science and technology is not just essential but inevitable in the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
“Space technology is still at its infancy in Nigeria, therefore, government needs to invest heavily in facilities and human capacity building. The federal government should create an environment which promotes space entrepreneurship in all of its forms, from research funding to unified and simple regulations to promote public private partnerships as well as equity funding of space related start-ups for the benefit of current and future generations.”

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