Lack of synergy in research and manpower development between the academia and industrial sector has been identified as one of the major challenges hindering the technological advancement of Nigeria and other African countries.
The Vice Chancellor University of Jos, North-Central Nigeria, Professor Tanko Ishaya, stated this during a visit to Voice of Nigeria in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Professor Ishaya disclosed that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development was the panacea for any country that desire to be reckoned with in the global economy.
He said; “We need to have innovative use and adaptation of technology and as far Uni Jos is concerned one thing we have been doing over the years is to ensure we have the enabling ICT infrastructure and that what we need to provide with respect to teaching, learning, research and even community service that we are able to utilise those technologies to do that, that is where we are in the world if we are doubting anything I think the Covid-19 has clearly shown us that it is the way to go because it affected almost all the sectors of humanity.”
Professor Ishaya said that adequate funding, creating awareness and effective utilisation on research findings are some of the mechanisms that can be applied to tackle Nigerian issues.
He said University Jos as a center of research has embarked on several innovative projects which are of immense benefit to the society.
Professor Ishaya said; ”University of Jos has been doing a lot with respect to having a lot of partnership with external organisation for example there was a time we had a collaboration with Carnegie foundation of new York that gave the institution nine Million Dollars. It helped the University to develop the ICT infrastructure. The University was part of the only six Universities that competed and got the African center of excellence and University of Jos to fighting and developing medicine and that grant was about eight million dollars. It helped the University in developing the required facilities to be able to undertake the kind of research that will be impactful to the society, the institution generated quite a lot of product, that are out there, the snake venom is an important issue not only in Nigeria but Africa particularly Jos, around the langtang, so we have used the natural product to be able to develop the snake venom and that has already gone through the first stage of trial and we are continuing to make sure that the university of Jos has developed a snake venom that virtually addresses all the different types of snakes bite in Africa.”
The African Centre of Excellence in Phytomedicine Research and Development, University of Jos in collaboration with the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP developed the first indigenous and world first Anti—Snake vaccine called Covid-Plus.
The Director General Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, expressed the Organisation’s readiness to strengthen partnership with University of Jos, in Information and Communication Technology, ICT, manpower exchange programmes to deliver its mandates to the world.
Mr Osita said; “Today we are chasing our audience, there is much competition in the media world, Voice of Nigeria is committed to expand its audience reach with human capacity development and other initiatives to carry out its responsibility.”
Partnership
The Executive Director News, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Ahaziah Suleiman, called on the University of Jos to introduce media exchange programmes with VON to benefit the students that read media courses in the institution.
He said; “My major concern is content, how we can generate content. We found out that when you give us the product they hardly fit into the practical aspect of our profession.
“Therefore I am suggesting university should open up training for senior editors in the media to come and spend 3months, or six months to exchange knowledge with students to fit into challenging world when they graduate.”
The Director Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria, Hajiya Sani, said the partnership between Voice of Nigeria and University of Jos would contribute immensely to the Country’s quest to diversify its economy.
She said; “The world has gone digital, there is no sector in the world that is not impacted by digital transformation, this reality is probably more profound for the media which hitherto already combines different sectors, there is virtually no sector that the media does not cover.
” It is because of this reality that the import of technology into our sphere has become very critical because it came at a time when resources began to dwindle nationally not just for the sectors but for government agencies.
”It’s for this reason that your visit the call for collaboration is coming at a most opportune time for an organisation like Voice Of Nigeria. For us in the digital world, many of us became digital because of the interest, it is a sector that requires a lot of commitment, time, interest and most importantly it requires a lot of innovations”.
Voice of Nigeria and University of Jos pledged to partner and explore more potentials that will benefit the two entities and the entire country.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
