By Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
Ogbonnaya Onu, Minsiter of Science and Technology, has urged Nigerian researchers and scientists to refocus their research and development programmes, efforts and resources towards industry-demand driven characterisation.
Onu said it was high time Nigerian scientists and researchers get their institutions and industries or businesses out of silos and establish a lasting mutual strategic alliance.
He stressed that such alliances are serious marriages based on the testaments of fortified national quality infrastructure most suitable for specific intervention to achieve quality products and even services
The minister who was represented by Abayomi Oguntunde, Director of Bioresource, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the maiden National Strategy on Competitiveness in Raw Matereials and Product Development in Nigeria, organised by the Strategy Implementation Task unit of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMDC).
He said the gathering of the top most echelon of scientists and researchers in Nigeria was the first of its kind in providing veritable means of galvanising the R&D community towards successful strategy implementation.
According to him, “this forum will offer time refreshment on the ideas, focus and expectation of individual R&D institution during this period of implementation. Your roles and responsibilities are enormous especially on the need for you to refocus your R&D programmes, efforts and resources towards industry-demand driven characterisations.
He added that, “the strategy provides ample knowledge on raw materials and products characterisation where individual institutions must focus attention and which industrial sector, industrialists, and entrepreneurs you should be relating.”
The Minister called on the scientists to use the strategy to brave the odds and make the paradigm shift from pre-modial sentiments of R&D for academics/learning rather than R&D for innovation, competitiveness and attainment of sustainable industrial revolution.
“I have implcit confidence in your collective capacity to deliver this strategy and usher the country to a new era where science and technology define new industrial revolution required to reposition Nigeria among the league of global competitiveness,” Onu said.
