The Director General of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Professor Abdullahi Mustapha has said that Africa is yet to explore the opportunities provided by science to advance the continent.
The Conference was themed “Change Management and Data-Driven Strategic Engagement for Development”.
Professor Mustapha stated this at the International Conference on Communication and Development in Africa organised by the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication (ISDEVCOM), Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
He said science myth and falsehood were among the factors responsible for the slow growth of science in Nigeria.
The NABDA DG however, said with effective and adequate communication, Nigeria and Africa in general would be pulled out of the menace.
“The challenges facing Africa’s development has continued to grow due to the fact that the continent is yet to fully leverage on the promising tools provided by science.
“We know that science myths and falsehood are among the notorious factors responsible for slowing the growth of science in Nigeria and adequate communication is the only remedy to pull out Africa from this menace.
“Making science understandable to the public can remove the existing disorientation in society and bring confidence in the future”, Professor Mustapha said.
He said science must be open, understandable, and accessible to the masses, rather than hiding behind the doors of offices and university auditoriums.
“Science needs to be communicated with everyone in an understandable and accessible language. Many scientists are already using accessible methods to communicate”, he added.
He said NABDA is already taking the lead by adequately investing not only in biotechnology research but in the effective communication of the science of modern biotechnology through the establishment of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology and Biotechnology Awareness (OFABBA) Unit.
While presenting an award to the NABDA DG, the NSUK vice-chancellor, Professor Suleiman Mohammed lauded NABDA for its “invaluable contribution to the development of science communication in Nigeria”.
He urged other institutions and stakeholders to emulate NABDA’s commitment to promoting science communication, as this could help to bridge the gap between science and society and promote sustainable development in Africa.
Also, the director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Department at NABDA, Dr. Rose Gidado was presented with an award for her exceptional contributions to science communication in Nigeria.
During the ceremony, Gidado was described as the “mother of science communication” by the Executive Director of ISDEVCOM, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura, who commended her for promoting agricultural biotechnology in Nigeria.
In her speech, Dr Gidado highlighted the importance of science communication in the sensitization of innovative technologies such as agricultural biotechnology.
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