The Minister of Science and Technology on Friday received the Interim Report of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies and FMST Joint Committee on Review and Strategy for the Implementation of the Annual Presidential Parley Reports from 2008-2019.
Mr. Abdulganiyu Aminu, the Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry said in a statement, said the committee was setup by the Minister to examine ways and means by which the socio-economic development of Nigeria can be galvanized using Science, Technology and Innovation.
Speaking while receiving the report, Dr. Onu said the report of the Committee will enable Nigeria refocus its economic outlook in the light of shortfall in oil prices and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Minister said the input of Science and Technology will be very crucial to the new economic blue print that would emerge in the new national and world order post- Covid-19.
Onu said for Nigeria to increase her Gross Domestic Product (GDP), there was need to increase its exports and significantly reduce its imports. This, he added can only be accomplished through the application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as encapsulated in the knowledge and innovation-driven economic order being championed by the Ministry.
He explained that the various policies enunciated by the Ministry such as Executive Order 5, Science and Technology Roadmap 2017-2030, National Methanol Fuel Production Policy, The National Strategy for Competiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development, National Leather and Leather Products Policy etc. were put in place in order to ensure economic diversification and development of a new economic order in Nigeria. “This can be done and must be done” he added.
The chairman of the committee and Director Environmental Science Technology Department in the Ministry, Dr. Peter Ekweozor said the Committee examined the report of NIPSS set 1-42 and came up with policies that will propel the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
He said the Committee has made concrete recommendations and implementation strategies that will drive the recommendations.
He said further that in the course of its assignment, the Committee met with various stakeholders including the Organised Private Sector.