By SYLVESTER THOMPSON

The Federal Government has approved a national policy on welding and welding related fields with urgent implementation as part of the efforts to fast track industrialization and sustainable development.

This is contained in a statement issued by Josephine Ademu, Chief Information Officer (Press) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and made available in Abuja on Friday.

Dr Adeleke Mamora, Minister of STI, disclosed this at the North-West zonal dialogue in the STI ecosystem on establishment of Technology Incubation Centres (TICs) in Kano on Thursday.

Represented by M. J. Bassey, Director, Chemical Department of the ministry, Mamora said the policy would arrest the present outsourcing of welding jobs brought about by emphasis laid on foreign welding certification.

He said the approved policy was in line with the implementation of Presidential Executive Order NO.5 which will boost local content in production.

Mamora called for the identification of other important areas for effective regulation, credible certification and accreditation, to achieve the country’s goal.

He maintained that this would give the desired credence to Nigeria’s certification and accreditation outcomes.

The minister enumerated benefits of the innovation centres to include provision of an enabling environment for emergence of tech giants.

It will also increase performance of researchers, peer review of researchers for effectiveness and learning of new approaches to research through interactions.

Others are increase in patents, platform for presentation of results of reverse engineering, Innovative discoveries and Inventions.

The rest include emergence of commercial research and development companies, improved research funding through grants from business men and Industrialists among others.

Earlier, the National Coordinator, Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order No. 5, Mr Ibiam Oguejiofor, urged the effective promotion and implementation of the order in various organizations and states within the zone.

The Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Binta Umar, representing the Commissioner, reiterated the commitment of the state to partner the Federal Government in the promotion of local content using the order.

She said the state government had taken the lead by establishing 16 incubation centres for capacity building of unemployed youth in indigenous skills.

The Rector, Kano State polytechnic, Dr Kabiru Dungurawa, stated that the approval would enhance the promotion of local content and boost the production of locally manufactured goods. (NAN)

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