Government will support Nigerian scientists —Minister

THE Federal Government has pledged to give massive support to Nigerian scientists in the bid to convert research and innovation findings into products and services for enhanced economic development of the nation.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, gave this assurance when a delegation from the Chemical Society of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

He said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was supporting Nigerian Scientists to develop technology and innovation that would help the country develop at a faster rate and compete favourably with developed countries of the world.

Dr Onu assured the delegation that the ministry would support any intellectual property in any field of Science, Technology and innovation for the development of natural resources of Nigeria.

The minister called on scientists to work harder to ensure that Nigeria became a truly great nation.

According to him, “Nigeria cannot be truly great without the enormous contributions of scientists”

He reiterated that Nigeria needed to conduct research and innovation work in areas of our needs, thereby putting an end to continuous importation of products into the country.

Dr Onu said he was optimistic that Nigerian scientists would help harness our raw materials and convert them into products that we could consume locally.

Earlier, the President of the Chemical Society of Nigeria, Professor Sunday Olawale Okeniyi, told the minister that the Society was seeking collaborations with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to facilitate Research and Development through the deployment of Science Technology and Innovation in enhancing the pace of socio-economic development of Nigeria.

The society, therefore, solicited the ninistry’s support in the professional practice of chemistry in Nigeria, and requested for the propagation of the society’s ideals and ethos through collaboration with the ministry and its agencies.