President Tinubu Directs Release Of Funds To Establish Welding Centres
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has directed the release of funds for the establishment of National Centres for Training in Welding and Welding Related Fields in the Six Geopolitical Zones of the country for training, re-training, evaluation and certification of persons in the practice of welding and welding-related fields.
The President gave the directive when he declared open the 7th edition of the Science Technology and Innovation Expo 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
President Tinubu who was represented by the Secretary to the government of the Federation George Akume said that his administration would promote the application of the National Policy on Welding and Welding Related Fields approved by the Government in 2022 to improve the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, hasten innovation, lessen unemployment and reduce capital flight.
“Government will provide an enabling environment for the establishment of National Centres for Training in Welding and Welding Related Fields in the Six Geopolitical Zones of the country for training, re-training, evaluation and certification of persons in the practice of welding and welding-related fields.”
“To make this a reality, I wish to direct the Federal Ministries of Finance and National Budget and Economic Planning to provide the required funds and modalities for the commencement of these centres.”
President Tinubu also reiterated his commitment in actualizing the 0.5% of the nation’s GDP to Research and Development R&D, a furtherance to the efforts taken by the previous government of Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.
“As a government, we would intensify our efforts in drawing the National Economic Council’s attention to hasten this dream’s actualization to strengthen the Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Sector.” he said.
The Nigerian leader aligning with the usual custom of the annual STI EXPO over the years also awarded the top three winners of the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award (774-YONSPA) full scholarship up to Doctor of Philosophy level in any science-related discipline of their choice in any of the Nigerian universities.
Also Read: Nigeria approves policy on welding technology
“Congratulations on the winners of this year’s 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award (774-YONSPA). I am happy with your dedication and performance at the selection examination. I commend your creativity, competitive spirit and strength in your academic pursuit of becoming future scientists, engineers, and technologists to better the lot of our nation” he said.
President Tinubu further promised to strengthen the Technology and Innovation Centres established by the Federal Government across the country’s six geopolitical zones to help the transition of Nigeria to a production economy.
The Minister of Innovation Science and Technology Uche Nnaji said that the approved National Policy on Welding and Welding Related Fields, is in tandem with the objectives of Presidential Executive Order No. 5, which is to promote local content in the country.
“It is the bedrock of engineering and the heartbeat of industrialization, and it remains one of the highest employers of labour and the critical cornerstone for the construction industry.
The Minister noted that the initiative undertaken by the Ministry reflects its commitment to harnessing the transformative power of STI for national economic growth and development.
Nnaji recalled that the Ministry last year came up with an initiative tagged “Showcase Your Innovation in 12 Days, 12 Innovations” and called for submissions from Nigerian Researchers and Inventors.
“You all will be amazed by the abundance of innovations/inventions submitted at the event. These projects have demonstrated our capacity to innovate and have set the stage for a more resilient economic future. These accomplishments showcase our potential and the tangible impact that STI can have on our economic setting.” he said.
Stressed on the theme of this year’s Expo, “STI: Solution to National Economic Challenges,” the Minister said that it beckons the nation to recognize the transformative potential of Science, Technology, and Innovation in addressing the economic hurdles that Nigeria faces.
“This theme encapsulates the belief that by strategically integrating STI into our economic policies and practices, we can chart a course toward sustainable development, ensuring our nation’s resilient and prosperous future.’’
The Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma said that the new world order is about science and technology, and Nigeria is not left behind.
The world is confronted with the challenge of migrating to the new world order, the challenge of understanding and accepting the new protocol. Our country is not left out of it. Our hope as a people and as a nation to comply with the expectation of the new world order is solely dependent on the activities of the Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology working with her sister agencies to initiate, conceive, implement and accomplish the expectations of the new world order.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Expo is a 5-day event that brings together Nigerian innovators, investors and other major stakeholders for the purpose of commercializing research output.
By Hadiza Ndadama, Abuja
