Politics
THE Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says the Federal Government is putting the necessary measures in place to achieve its target of moving 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
Onu also said that the African Continental Free Trade Area would further afford Nigeria the opportunity to achieve the goal.
The minister said this on Friday during a one-day working visit to Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu.
He, however, said that for the country to effectively achieve the goal, research institutes in Nigeria must take advantage of the abundant natural resources in the country to innovate, create jobs and wealth.
He said that the 16 agencies in the ministry were central to the achievement of the presidential declaration of ensuring that Nigerians had a greater future within the next 10 years.
Onu said that PRODA was a very important research institute that needed to take the lead in the job creation and diversification mantra of the current administration.
The minister said that though he was satisfied with the progress so far made by PRODA in the last four years, “you need to further demonstrate that PRODA is not dead.
“You may not have all the resources but you must show that you can work,” he said.
On the proposed pencil production plant in the institute, the minister said that the desire of the Federal Government was to see that the raw materials for the production of all the components of the pencil were sourced locally.
“We have graphite, wood and clay in abundance. PRODA should be able to do the beneficiation of these raw materials,” he said.
He said that the multiplier effect of sourcing the raw materials locally would be invaluable as millions of Nigerians would be gainfully employed along the pencil production value chain.
Onu said that Nigeria had the potential to dominate the African Continental Free Trade Area if the necessary things were done by the research institutes in the country.
“I want PRODA to work harder because you have a very good history. Pay attention to energy storage and develop the expertise,” Onu said.
Earlier, the Director General of PRODA, Dr. Charles Agulanna, said that the intervention of the Federal Government in the institute in the last four years had been massive
Agulanna, who was represented by the Director of Engineering, Mr Edwin Oriaku, said that the institute, which virtually went moribund over the years, had been relatively revived.
He said that the intervention of the minister had resulted in vastly improved budgetary allocations and release of special intervention funds, among others.
“The PRODA pencil project is being revived and over 21 key equipment have been procured, some installed and others awaiting installation and test run.
“We have the added impetus to drive projects related to ‘waste-to-wealth’, such as the PRODA Industrial Poultry Waste Dryer,” he said.
He said that the directive by the minister for the institute to embark on automation of agri-produce machinery and lithium ion batteries were being implemented.
Agulanna, however, said that the institute was constrained by the lack of funds and appealed to the federal government for more funding. (NAN)
– Nov. 1, 2019 @ 18:57 GMT |
Tags: FG on course to move 100 million Nigerians out of poverty – Onu
