The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has urged indigenous professionals in the Diaspora to return home and use their experience to develop Nigeria.

Onu, in a statement by Mr AbdulGaniyu Aminu, Head of Public Relations Unit in the ministry, on Saturday in Abuja, said that such effort was needed to grow the country.

Aminu said the minister would be embarking on a trip to the United States of America to encourage indigenous professionals in diaspora to employ experience to develop Nigeria.

He said Onu would also visit Cuba to enable both countries evaluate the possibilities of cooperation in technologies.

“The visit to the United States of America, which is from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4, 2018, will afford the Minister the opportunity to meet with Nigerians in the United States to sensitise them on the numerous advantages of the Executive Order No.5.

“This is to ensure the realisation of the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020 in accordance with section 5 (capacity building) of the Executive Order 5.

“The Ministry is expected to take steps to encourage indigenous professionals in the Diaspora to return home and use their experience to develop Nigeria.”

“The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, is to embark on an official working visit to the United States of America and Cuba from Aug. 27, to Sept. 8. 2018.

According to him, the minister will visit New York, Washington-DC and Florida all in the United States and later proceed to Cuba on September 5 to honour the invitation of the Government of Cuba.

He said the two countries would sign cooperation agreement on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), under the auspices of Ministries of Science and Technology of both countries.

“Cuba has developed some of the technology Nigeria can domesticate to reduce importation in line with the Executive Order 5,” he added. (NAN)

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