By SYLVESTER THOMPSON

The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology says it is working on plans to create the desired platform for the actualisation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister, said this in Abuja at the inauguration of a Technical Committee for boosting commercialisation of the ministry’s research products to fast track the actualisation of Nigeria’s dream of becoming a self-reliant nation.

He said that the benefits of research could only be harvested when it is fully commercialised, adding that the ministry will collaborate with the organised private sector in that regard.

Onu said that the Ministry would strive hard to use its research outputs as catalyst for realising government’s plans of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

He said that research products from the 17 agencies under the ministry covered all sectors of the economy and that the ministry was well positioned to turn around the economy.

According to him, the commercialisation of research outputs is important for economic growth as more goods will be indigenously produced.

He added that part of the expected benefits of research outputs included food sufficiency and surplus for exports, leading to significant reduction in import from other countries.

Onu said that the commercialisation of research outputs would create more opportunities for Nigerians as well as reduce the employment deficit in the country.

While expressing confidence in members of the committee, he urged them to carry out the assignment digilently and make Nigeria proud.

In his remarks, Prof. Okechukwu Ukwuoma, Chairman of the commmittee and Directo General of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), said commercialisation of research outputs, was key to the country’s developmental aspirations.

Ukwuoma said that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the United Nations were hinged on technological innovations, stressing that it was important Nigeria leveraged on this in its desire for self-sufficiency.

He assured that the committee would strive to achieve its mandate. (NAN)

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