Nigerians in the Diaspora working towards innovative nation

Since time immemorial, technology has made the world more civilized and gradually drifting from the usual mastermind (resourced based) to the trendy aspect of knowledge.
BINTA SHAMA reports.
Innovation Critically speaking, innovation, in actual sense, touches every aspect of economic development whether health, agriculture, power, gas, engineering, security, etc.
It is to this fact that the federal government is fighting to see that her youth concentrate on anything science as long as they come forth with positive results.
Just recently, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has hosted series of programmes for the betterment of the country to meet up with innovative international standards.
North-Central dialogue In pursuit of this, the Minister Science and Technology at the just concluded North-Central Dialogue on the Presidential Executive Order held in Abuja, assured necessary stake holders and the entirety of Nigeria that he would travel across nations to invite Nigerians dwelling abroad to come invest.
As a matter of fact, it is one thing to declare one’s intentions and it is also another to carry it out.
Having passion and zeal collaborating together on the field of knowledge and power will take a small nation to greater heights, how much more a country as big as Nigeria.
US visit Onu has embarked on an official working visit to the United States of America and Cuba which commenced yesterday the 27th of August, to September 8.
2018.
He said the trip would afford him the opportunity to meet with Nigerians in the United States to sensitize them on the numerous advantages of the Executive Order No.5 which is to ensure the realization of the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017- 2020.
He added that the measure taking by him was in line with section 5 (capacity building) of the Executive Order 5, which empowers the Ministry to take necessary steps to encourage indigenous professionals in the Diaspora to return home and use their experience to develop Nigeria.
Visit to Cuba Onu disclosed that his trip to Cuba would be in September to honour the invitation of the government of Cuba to enable both countries evaluate the possibilities of collaborating in the areas of Science, Technology and Since time immemorial, technology has made the world more civilized and gradually drifting from the usual mastermind (resourced based) to the trendy aspect of knowledge.
BINTA SHAMA reports.
Dr.
Onu Innovation, where the two countries are expected to sign cooperation agreement on Science, Technology, and Innovation, under the auspices of Ministries of Science and Technology of both countries.
Technology to reduce importation Cuba has developed some of the technology Nigeria can domesticate to reduce importation in line with the Executive Order .5 On the other hand, the minister urged Nigerians to tap into the N100 billion traditional medicine markets through exploitation of abundant herbal resources in the country.
He said: “My heart bleeds for o u r y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n i n a situation where most Nigerians prefer patronizing herbs from other countries when we have them in abundance.
How do we make our very own trusted when there is lack of interest and encouragement?” “I urge us as stakeholders of this sector to encourage Nigerians to protect their intellectual property on whatever findings they have made, having at the back of our minds that the National Strategy on Competiveness will make Nigerians natural resources to become more competitive”, he added.
Plant resources summit He gave the charge at the National Steering Committee on 1st Summit on Plant Resources for Sustainable National Development in Abuja.
In same vein, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof Maurice Iwu said that the committee has carried out asset mapping to determine herbal resources in the country stressing that each state has something to contribute to the programmes.
Transfer of knowledge Iwu said the first bi-annual summit which is scheduled to hold September, 2018 is expected to provide a platform for Nigerians to learn from each other and as well translate the knowledge learnt in school to products for the improvement the economy.
“It will also provide opportunity for exhibition of materials that are of plant resources and for universities to showcase their products” he added.
As a strategic initiative, the chairman of the committee appealed to the Minister to expand the committee and make it inter-ministerial to enable it deliver maximum dividends.
Competiveness assessment committee The Minister recently inaugurated C o m p e t i v e n e s s A s s e s s m e n t Committee to assess the relevance of researches and innovations of agencies under his Ministry.
“The committee will assist the Ministry assess its seventeen agencies with a view to encourage hard work and ensure renewed focus on your mandates, which will interest you to know that the assessment also comes with a reward ranging from N1billion to N5m aimed at encouraging the agencies to be creative, inventive and innovative”.
Onu added that the competition would stand as an incentive needed to give life for sustainable achievement of the country.
Encouraging hardwork Furthermore the minister said the inauguration of the competition was aimed at encouraging hard work and ensuring that the agencies focus on their mandates.
He added that the idea of encouraging healthy competition among the agencies of the ministry is to facilitate development in the science and technology sector.
He said that bi-annual event may become annual in future, while the ministry will increase the amount to be won by the agencies.
He charged the committee members to ensure that everything was done to ensure fairness in the assessment the agencies.
The 17-member committee is expected to assess the relevance of agencies research and innovation to national development, assess the originality and uniqueness of research results of agencies and the level of local content utilization in research and development amongst others.
Science and tech as key to development In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee and President of Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Motso Onuoha said science and technology is key to national development.
He assured that the committee will do its best to deliver on its mandate by putting up a template that is innovative and original to the mandates of each agency.
“Consideration will also be given to agencies that produce innovations we need in the country and also adapt to the needs of the nation”, Onuoha added.
The committee is expected to have submitted its report at the end of this month.