The Minister of Science Technology and Innovation (FMSTI) Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said that the effective implementation of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) policy, and other policies associated with the STI ecosystem will help strengthen the economy.
Onu stated this during the Presentation of Evaluation of the Nigeria 2012 Science Technology and Innovation (STI) policy performance Report, on Tuesday in Abuja.
“I am happy to receive the Evaluation Performance Report of the 2012 Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy. This is important in our effort to work towards the final revision of the 2012 Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.
“Since 2015 that I became the Hon. Minister, several efforts had been made to evaluate this important policy which is now about ten years old. In the process, a close examination of how best the policy had fared in line with the implementation plan and its impact on the well-being of Nigerians had been undertaken. It is clear that the STI policy remains extremely important in the task of nation building.
“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the FMSTI places so much importance on the effective implementation of not just the STI policy, but all the other policies that are associated with the Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem.
“This is important to help move our economy away from depending entirely on commodities, but to rather depend on knowledge that is innovation driven. This way, we can generate enough jobs for our teeming youths, create wealth to expand and strengthen our economy as well as fight and defeat extreme poverty in our dear nation,” Only added.
The minister further said that Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the new trend of technologies emerging with various intelligence, robotics, and advance manufacturing which is of great importance to the society at large.
He charged the Task team with two weeks of thorough assessment of evaluation report for final submission.
Earlier, the representative of UNESCO regional director, Mr. Mahmud Sow, said that STI is vital to the structural diversification of any nation’s economy.
He commended the federal government for its quest to harness STI for nation development. He further advised the Nigerian government to put in place certain policies to propel the development of STI in the country.
