The Minister of Science Technology and Innovation in Nigeria, Dr Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora has said that Funding of existing agencies in Nigeria to fill in the gaps necessary for improvement of their duties stands ahead of taking the step of establishing new ones.
Dr Mamora made this known when he featured in a Voice of Nigeria Current Affairs program “In The News.”
The Minister who was answering questions regarding the proposed establishment of a National Innovation Agency noted that the decisions ends only in the multiplication of duties and is bad for a system that should be collaborative and innovative.
Fortunately, I was at the public hearing of this bill, it is already before the national assembly. And my position is unambiguous, and it is not just my own position, it’s the position of the Ministry and her agencies, particularly the relevant agencies in respect of this particular bill. As far as I am concerned, that bill, the intention will be good, but the basis for not supporting that agency is already we have too many agencies and you have not just duplication but multiplication of roles.
He insisted that reviewing the existing acts of the current agencies should be focused on and properly funded.
FOCUS ON TOP PRIORITIES
The Minister said that irrespective of the constraints of funding, setting an agenda before the end of his tenure was on focus to ensure the realization of priority projects.
“We put it to all the heads of the agencies that no more working in sailors, so, we initiated what I called the Principles of 5Cs: Co-ordination, Collaboration, Co-operation, Communication, Cordiality. When you are limited with funds that’s not the time you go into frivolous things. So you must identify priorities. Our NOTAP building, I have all the assurances that this building project will be concluded and commissioned before December.”
He noted that some of the agencies already have projects with MoUs signed and would be funded privately, only waiting for the Federal Executive Council FEC approval.
Dr Mamora demonstrated the willingness to ensure that activities of the forth coming General Election in the country do not hamper the effects of good governance.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS STEM
The STI Minister described the importance the Ministry is giving to the context of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics STEM in producing Nobel laureates.
“We have this collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education. We call it “catch them young” where we continue to focus on the STEM education because these are subjects that form the bedrock of Science, Technology and innovation.”
Reaching out to individual innovators is another thing Dr Mamora said the Ministry is also engaged in for guidance, mentorship and sponsorship of innovation and innovative ideas in Nigeria.
“The first thing we do is to reach out to them and to give them that sense of acknowledgement, then we invite them so that we can have a one on one engagement as to what they are doing, how we can assist. The third thing is they want us as government or government agency to help and the bottom line is funding. We already have a process in the Ministry, we have a department in the Ministry that is responsible for this, through Presidential intervention to see how much is available and we can give, we don’t have it all. And we also assist in reaching out to potential partners who might want to come in and join government in giving effect to the demands of these innovators,” Mamora said.
EXECUTIVE ORDER No 5 AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Replacing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan with the National Development Plan is a process the Minister said: “It tends to give us latitudes in terms of better funding, better collaboration, better coordination, and avoiding stand alone attitudes because we need everybody to be on board. It has to be inclusive and sustainable.”
He restated that the end product is attainment of social economic development across board.
Dr Mamora stressed the importance of the Executive Order No 5 and explains that the Ministry monitors and evaluates it’s agencies through which it executes projects.
“In every situation, the use of technology to have better results is inevitable. If I take you back to the Executive Order No 5 which essentially is about applying science technology and innovation in virtually everything you do. Is not just about Science based or whatever, even if you are in art, you still need STI to move forward, It’s just inevitable.”
FORUM FOR AFRICAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (FARI)
The Minister expressed the privilege Nigeria had to host the Maiden Edition of the sub region Forum for African Research and Innovation Forum.
“We are privileged to be the host, courtesy the President, Muhammadu Buhari of this maiden edition, and is essentially for the sub region ECOWAS. And it’s a forum where researchers in the ecosystem of Science, Technology and innovation practitioners can come together exchange ideas as to what they’re doing in their respective countries and also an opportunity to exchange ideas in the issue of science, technology and innovation as well it’s a forum for member states to showcase what they are doing and of course interactions, to acknowledge and recognized start ups programs that deserve recognition,” Mamora said.
In highlighting the difference between the Ministry’s annual Science Technology and innovation Expo with FARI, the Minister says.
” The annual Tech EXPO that we do is a local thing but FARI is international, but within the ECOWAS sub region. And most of what we do in the annual expo are R&D outcomes, it is also an opportunity for handshake between the Researchers and the Industry enthusiasts who will want to take research to the market. But FARI is a bigger thing and it goes beyond the local environment,” he said.
VACCINE PRODUCTION
On the issue of vaccine production, Dr Mamora noted that many government agencies from different ministries have dipped into that effort but however stressed the need for the agencies to reposition and work in synergy towards one goal.
“I know one of our agencies is pursuing this vaccine production, fortunately I came from health, I am also aware of what is going on there, we don’t need that as far as I am concerned. We are all agents of the same government. What I expect is that if you are ahead of me in a particular issue, let me just drop that and join you that’s what it should be. More so when the funding is not there. I am aware because I came from Health, already we have in place, a joint venture project in Health geared towards Vaccine production.”
Dr Mamora who explained how the COVID infection prompt Nigeria into producing its own vaccine however noted that immunizing children against common infections should also be a priority.
“Beyond COVID, the focus should be on the Childhood vaccine preventable diseases. We are battling with Tuberculosis, whooping cough, tetanus measles, we should focus on those vaccines,” Mamora said.
