Fabricator calls for development of indigenous technology

Mr Oyewole Okewole, the Senior Project and Support Engineer, Process Concept and Technologies Ltd., has called for rapid development of indigenous technology to advance economic diversification of the nation.

Okewole, whose organisation is an indigenous fabricating outfit, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the future of Nigeria depended on looking inward for innovative technologies that would address the country’s peculiar challenges.

“The government must show real interest in the development of indigenous technologies by our own engineers who are in touch with the society and the issues that the citizenry are daily with confronted.”

“The future of Nigerians depends on looking inward and designing technologies that can actually increase diversification of our economy.

“It will also help to build the country’s foreign exchange base and we believe that ingenious technology will go a long way in putting Nigeria back on the world map.”

“It also depends on our particular interest in agriculture through the fabricating agro processing machines where we have our own strength as a nation.

“For instance, Process Concept and Technologies Ltd., fabricates various agricultural processing equipment that can transform a produce to a product, for example cassava to garri, cassava to starch and so on.”

Okewole said that if government engaged local fabricating companies and stop the importation of equipment that local engineers could fabricate, the country would in no time become a producing nation.

“Since Nigeria is blessed in the production of agricultural produce, using indigenous technologies will be the key to feeding our nation without importation of food.”

He said that if indigenous companies were made to use locally fabricated machines for production, spoilage of agricultural produce would be eliminated.

“This also means that we will have more than enough to feed ourselves and to export to attract more foreign exchange, which in turn will create more room for our youths to be employed.”

“I want to advice the youths to keep in touch with their visions either in science and technology, sports or fashion, whatever creativity inclination they have they should keep at it.”

“These are people that are still young at heart, mind and even in physical strength and they can go a long way to change the course of this nation.”

“An investment in the youth is an investment in the future, fifty years’ time, Nigeria will be in the world map if resources in capital, intelligence innovativeness are being harnessed in the youths today.”

Okewole, therefore, tasked the government to assist innovative youths and indigenous fabrication companies to grow by putting infrastructure on ground to encourage local production.

Source: NAN