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DR Afolabi Olowookere, the Managing Director/Chief Economist of the Analysts Data Services and Resources (ADSR), has advised policymakers to channel five per cent of their annual budgets to research.
Olowookere said also former Head, Economic Research and Policy Management Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that research was critical to effective policy making in the country.
Olowookere said the budget would help policymakers in making adequate and targeted plans toward getting result-oriented outcomes.
According to him, policy making needs timely and practical research.
”There must be collaboration between researchers and policymakers.
”Policy making oftentimes are not backed by rigourous research.
”We want to bridge the gap so that policymakers will start understanding research not the way the academic will do it but putting the needs of the policymaker into consideration.
”Policymakers should consult academics so that they can use their knowledge of research to assist policy making.
”Researchers have to understand the needs of the policymaker and not just conduct academic research,” he said.
Olowookere said that an avenue should be created by researchers and universities for dissemination of research outcomes.
He said that academic research focuses on constructing and testing theories for the purpose of understanding society, using rihorous methods to find the “truth”.
“Policy research is the practice of trying to analyse the effects of public policies or projects already in place,” he said.
He also advised researchers to make their languages simple for easy understanding, assimilation and usage.
NAN reports that ADSR is a data and research company that provides data, information and analysis for intelligent investment, academic and policy decisions.
It provides economic advisory and research, data analytics, anastat database subscription, research publications and training to various sectors and the public.(NAN)
A.I
Tags: Dr Afolabi Olowookere
