The National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) on Thursday agitated for the deployment of Science, Technology and Innovation ( STI) to proffer lasting solutions to the challenges confronting Nigerian masses living in rural communities.
Scholars in the field of science made the agitation at the Science, Technology and Innovation Management Forum, organised by the centre with the theme: “The Roles of STI in Development at the Grassroot Level,” held at the NACETEM Seminar Room, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
In his own contribution,
the Chairman, Governing Board of NACETEM, Hon. Haastrup Olatunji pointed out that, “to guarantee a sustainable and just way forward, it is crucial to harness the power of science, technology and innovation to address almost if not all the challenges people at the grassroots are experiencing. In a society where the most vulnerable are not attended to, the likelihood of them embracing vices as a means of livelihood/survival is very high! With many challenges facing our nation, we cannot afford to leave anyone behind in finding lasting solutions to such issues”.
“Everyone, including the ones at the lowest rung of the ladder, must be carried along and integrated into the scheme of development. Hence, the need to begin to engage with the critical stakeholders in grassroots development on the significance of STI in development, particularly at the local level.”
He stressed that “rural dwellers should not be abandoned as the nation strives to develop, adding that the society where the most vulnerable are not attended to, the likelihood of them embracing vices as a means of livelihood and survival is very high.”
“This Forum is essentially designed to provide a platform for science and technology technocrats to the interface on topical issues in science, technology and innovation for sustainable development. The 2022 edition is specifically tailored towards grassroots development because the global pandemic has left the world in chaos, and the worst hit appears to be the rural dwellers who have access to little or no basic amenities. ”
The board chairman further maintained that developed nations of the world had used STI to great advantage and it was evident in their giant strides in all facets of life, adding that it was high time Nigeria, as a rapidly developing economy, began to drive her development with STI.
Also, Dr John Onimakinde, Overseeing Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, NACETEM, noted that “While many solutions may have been proffered to ameliorate these challenges in the past, there still seems not to have been any significant improvement. For this reason, it is imperative to look at grassroots development with a different lens so as to re-interrogate the identified issues and see how best they can be addressed. ”
“It is in view of this that the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) has decided to beam its searchlight on science, technology and innovation (STI) as a panacea to the issue of underdevelopment at the grassroots. We believe strongly that STIs hold the key to the present and future development of any society. It plays a fundamental role in wealth creation, improvement of the quality of life and real economic growth and transformation in society.
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NACETEM experts agitate for deployment of STI to rural communities to tackle challenges confronting Nigerian masses
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