President Buhari directs release of statutory funds to NASENI

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to release statutory funds due to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for optimally dispense of duties.

The President who gave the directive at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during a virtual meeting of the board of the agency, noted that NASENI is a mechanism to stimulate linkages between science and technology, academics and the industrial sector on the one hand and the country’s economic and industrial transformation on the other.

President @MBuhari presides over Maiden Edition of the Members of the Governing Board of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in State House on 26th Jan 2021 pic.twitter.com/pbyMKc1NHy

— Comrde Suleiman Abubakar Barde (@Barde6767) January 26, 2021

He stated that for NASENI to succeed, “it must be empowered through adequate provision of financial, human and material resources and allowed to exercise independence to forge partnerships.

“By its mandate, NASENI is strategically poised to develop local capacity in machine building and fabrication, which is critical to Nigeria’s industrial development. However, in order for it to realize its full potential, NASENI must be empowered and given the autonomy and independence to forge international partnerships to acquire the relevant technologies for social, economic and industrial advancement of the country.

“In this regard, I have directed the minister of finance budget and national planning and Federal Inland Revenue Services to commence remittances of funds approved by law to the agency.”

The President observed that the enabling law of the agency was promulgated to an Act in 2004, adding that Section 2, Subsection 1 and 3 of NASENI Act provide for a governing board of the agency under the chairmanship of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While commending the solar energy and research ingenuity and manufacturing of NASENI, the president also directed the minister of finance to conclude negotiation and acceptance of 85 per cent funding source for the establishment of solar cell production, high voltage testing laboratory transformation in collaboration with China industry cooperation.

“It is important for NASENI board to note that agencies of government with a similar mandate in many countries are under the supervision of their respective heads of states and government. This administration has a premium and importance attached to homegrown technology, science and engineering infrastructure towards the social economic and technological development of respective countries.

“The uniqueness of the mandate of NASENI as enshrined in the enabling law towards actualization and realization of our development programme such as creating 10 million jobs, Economic Recovery and Growth Programme and post coronavirus sustainability plan.

“This is the only deliberate deployment of engineering, science, technology and innovation using technology domestication and reversed engineering of capital goods, making them available in Nigeria that can fast-track the realization of our collective will to build the capacity and reduce poverty of our teeming populace.

“The countries that are at the forefront of economic recovery have only one thing in common, investment and sustained research and development work in a knowledgable economy.

“Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the technology and innovation gap between us and the developed world which NASENI is strategically positioned to fill. It is my desire that this meeting of the governing council will reposition NASENI for the realization of its mandate as envisioned by its founders.”

Suzan O/ THISDAY/OTHERS