Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onuh, Pascal Dozie, founder of Diamond Bank, among others, have advocated for the deployment of science and technology to drive the process of nation building.
They spoke at a breakfast meeting organised by the ministry of science and technology for entrepreneurs, investors and financial experts in Lagos, with the focus on the growth and development of the nation’s economy through inventions and innovations. According to Onuh, Nigeria should not only be consumers of essential scientific research and innovation products but also producers of these products.
Ogbonnaya noted that for Nigeria to have a bright future with respect to food security, safe drinking water, advancement in agriculture and industry, shelter for all, care for the elderly old and young, drugs and appropriate medical equipment for our health care, eliminate illiteracy, alleviate poverty, strengthen the economy and protect the environment, “we need to effectively deploy science and technology.”
Pascal Dozie, the chairman of the occasion in his address said there are great potentials within the science, technology and innovation sector, which have remained largely untapped.
“While I might be regarded as old school, my old intelligence and passion for a better Nigeria suggest that a new thinking is needed and it is urgent. With over 25 million Nigerians unemployed, over 80 million classified as extremely poor and major economic development variables heading south, the importance of new thinking and framework of collaboration particularly in the science, technology and innovation ecosystem cannot be over-emphasised,” Pascal said.
Mohammed Jubrin, the director-general of the National Board of Technology Incubation, said the board has been encouraging the academia and sector players to establish incubators and the intervention is showing significant progress. “We provide feasible reports, bankable business plans, and other capacity-building activities in the areas of technology development, market research, general monitoring evaluation, and attract investors,” he added.
https://businessday.ng/news/article/onu-dozie-others-urge-deployment-of-tech-for-nation-building/
