The Nigerian Senate has urged the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to chart fresh directions toward industrialization of the country and to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria’s emergence as a knowledge based economy.
The Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation led by its Chairman, Dr. Uche Ekwunife said this when they embarked on the 2022 oversight function on activities of NASENI at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr Ekwunife added that the legislative arm of the government is determined to encourage any positive step taken towards the development of Science and Engineering Infrastructure for socio-economic well-being of Nigeria.
“Except an underdeveloped nation gives priority attention to investment in science, technology and innovation, adequate finance, including deliberate development of the human capital sector, the dichotomy between the third world and the advanced countries will continue to widen, and therefore the solution lies mainly at the extent to which Science and Engineering infrastructure have been developed towards massive industrialization of the country,” she said.
In a statement signed by the agency’s Deputy Director on Information, Mr Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, it says the Senate Committee Chairman specifically urged NASENI to deliver on its 1% statutory allocation from the Federation Account which is now provided and its 0.25% levy on commercial companies with turnover of N100 million to be credited to the Agency soon by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as enacted in the law and approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
”The only difference between developed and under-developed countries is infrastructural development and NASENI has the funding required now to bridge that gap for Nigeria, therefore to whom much is given, much is expected” Dr Ekwunife said.
Senator Ekwunife urged NASENI to remain in the frontline for the industrial revolution of Nigeria and to spend its funds judiciously as there would be no excuse for failure.
Speaking on the reasons why the Committee embarked on the oversight visit, Senator Ekwunife said it is to ensure that public funds are expended in cost effective and cost-efficient manner, evaluate programmes of the Agency and acquisition of useful information for future policy making and decisions.
She explained that the Committee was interested in the success of NASENI projects like the establishment of Transformer Production Plant and High Voltage Testing Laboratory and also to evaluate the progress recorded with NASENI’s collaboration with Indonesia on technology transfer in the areas of aircrafts design, spare parts production, military vehicles weaponry, ammunition and military vessels among other ongoing projects of the Agency
The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI Professor Mohammed Haruna who led the Committee on the facility and projects tour said that the management of the Agency would do all that is required of it to justify its new funding status as expected in the renewed journey of Nigeria toward industrialization.
