Education
THE former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos (Unijos), Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, has called for improved funding of Research and Development (R and D) in Nigeria.
“Currently, the government is trying its best to provide funds for R and D, but they are largely inadequate,” he stressed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mafuyai spoke on Wednesday in Kaduna at a one-day TETfund National Research Fair Committee Meeting with relevant stakeholders in the state.
NAN also reports that the fair will be held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, between Nov. 17 and 22, 2024.
The former V-C, who is also the Chairman of the fund’s National Research Fund said that more funds needed to be pumped into various researches to help in providing plausible solutions to the myriad of problems plaguing the country.
”TETfund is doing its best in this direction but its efforts should be complemented by the funding agencies within and outside Nigeria,” Mafuyai added.
He described R and D as the low hanging fruits that Nigeria should fully leverage to boost the economy of the nation and the citizens.
According to him, the fair will provide an avenue for the government, academia, industries and other stakeholders to converge.
The former V-C said: ”This is very crucial as hitherto, all the key stakeholders were operating in silos. This is crucial in growing the economy.
”We want to see the very best of investors and the manufacturers will pick up some of these research products, with a view to commercialising them.
”This will expectedly promote social growth as well as development and bolster the general economy of the country. Most of these researches and inventions have remained on the shelves for decades.”
Mafuyai said that the fair was being packaged to facilitate the realisation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, hence creating more wealth and jobs for Nigerians.
Also speaking, Dr Umar Bindir, the Chairman of the National Fair Committee disclosed that no fewer than 2,000 entries had since been received, saying,”they are being screened.”
Bindir, the former Secretary to the Adamawa Government stated that the fair was aimed at providing an efficient linkage between research outputs and the uptakers.
Bindir lamented that Nigeria was still being referred to as the ‘poverty capital’ of Africa in spite of the existence of over 300 public and private universities in the country.
”There are also a myriad of research institutes and a host of other tertiary education institutions, hence this is unacceptable.
”Therefore, we want to showcase Nigeria to the world and all well-meaning Nigerians should support Tinubu to move Nigeria forward,” he said.
NAN reports that the meeting was attended by various stakeholders including the academia, military, media and other key stakeholders. (NAN)
Photo Caption: Prof. Hayward Mafuyai
9th October, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: Prof. Hayward Mafuyai Uni Jos UniJos
