Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, says manufacturing sector must spearhead Nigeria’s drive towards global competitiveness in order to provide indigenous quality materials and products especially in areas where the country has comparative advantage.
Onu also challenged the media to intensify publicity on the competitiveness strategy as a platform to refocus business activities and resources towards utilisation of Nigerian Research and Development (R and D) Institutions’ commercialisable scientific breakthroughs.
He stated this in Abuja at the maiden roundtable for journalists on National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria, organised by the Strategy Implementation Task Unit (SITU).
Onu who was represented by Abayomi Oguntunde, Director, Bioresources Technology Department, said that the forum would offer agenda setting of idea, focus and expectation of Nigerians and the world during the period of implementation.
He stressed that the gathering of media practitioners in Nigeria was imperative in providing veritable means of galvanising the general public towards successful strategy implementation.
The Minister added that the strategy provides ample knowledge on raw materials and products classification where individual industries must focus attention and which R&D and academic institutions they should be relating.
“The moral angle in this strategy is for manufacturing sector to spearhead Nigeria’s drive towards global competitiveness in order to provide our indigenous quality materials and products especially in areas where country has comparative advantage in production.”
Continuing he stated that, “your role (media) and responsibilities are enormous especially on publicity of the competitiveness strategy as a platform to refocus our business activities and resources towards utilisation of Nigerian Research and Development Institutions’ commercialisable scientific breakthroughs.”
“The media should be using the this strategy to challenge our industrialists in Nigeria to brave the odds and make paradigm shift from over dependence on imported raw materials and products and look inwards for innovation, competitiveness and attainment of sustainable indigenous industrial revolution.
“With this strategy in place, there will be a deliberate policy of government towards empowerment of the business community through incentives and conducive business environment in upgrading logistics, infrastructural needs and policies of the business community.”
Onu said that government would encourage commercialisation of R&D breakthroughs of Nigeria industries’ adaptation towards orderly utilisation of abundant potentials in the country.
He therefore urged the media to provide maximum agenda setting and publicity of Nigeria quality raw materials and promotion of made-in-Nigeria products to underscore certification and accreditation by appropriate regulatory agencies.
