Nigeria Government need to increase allocation for Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Appoint a Scientist/ Technologist as Minister
If Nigeria as a country wants to diversify its economy she must improve on the attention given to Federal Ministry of Science and Technology
The federal allocation allotted to this Ministry and subsequent implementation of its policies cannot be visible in the eyes of her citizens because the Minister in charge is not a Scientist or technologist.
We can get things right if the government appoints a Physicist, an Industrial Chemist/Chemist, Bio-Technologist, Computer scientist and Physics Production Technologist as the Minister in charge, these individuals will ensure there is improve Research and Innovation.
As a country go through our tertiary (Universities, Poly Technics, etc) institution’s Workshops, you will see Lathe Machines that is forty(40) years of age, that is been used manually and has become a form of hazard to its users, while some developed countries are using CAD(Computer Aided machines) that can allow for Mass production and industrialization.
There are thousands of graduates who are specialist in these aforementioned disciplines that can help our country in Bio-Technology ,Agro Technology and ICTechnology, which can in turn help to improve our country’s economy.
Nigeria is rich in high deposit of uranium that can be used to aid Power generation and its supply, also if harness in large quantities can also be sold out to other countries.
Nigeria is also rich Iron Ore, Copper and other natural resources that is way better and in large quantity than crude oil, but government attention is channeled only on Crude oil.
Check Nigeria University’s Laboratories and its apparatus, they are too old for innovation and research processes. The equipping of our University’s Laboratories should be done in collaboration with the ministry of Science and Technology, so that modern equipments can be installed with international standard and practices. To this effect graduates from our institutions can make bold to say they got practical knowledge of their area of specialisation.
A minister with deep scientific knowledge is what Nigeria needs at present, if really its citizens will be lifted from poverty by 2030, not appointing a medical Doctor who should concern himself in his area of specialisation.
I suggest the appointment of a true Scientist or Technologist as Minister for Science and Technology subsequently, politics should be eschewed in this area, if really Nigeria wants to develop in infrastructures, human capacity and wealth creation.
*Chikezie Justice*
*Technologist & Politician*