The federal government yesterday challenged indigenous engineers and scientists to develop technology that will keep them at par
with their counterparts in developed nations.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said this at a workshop organized by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in collaboration with the ministry with the theme: The effect of FEC guideline for planning and execution of projects, programmes and contracts with science, engineering and technology components in Abuja.
Onu, stated that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the ministry had designed a guideline for the planning and execution of projects, programmes and contracts with science, engineering and technology components to be executed through indigenous engineers and scientists in the country.
This, according to him will provide the opportunity for indigenous engineers to utilize the enormous resources Nigeria is blessed with, add value to them to earn foreign exchange for the country, stabilize the naira, provide jobs, create wealth and fight poverty in across the society.
He stressed that, the present administration is redirecting the economy towards producing many engineers, scientists, professionals’ manufacturers and young entrepreneurs to grow and establish small and medium scale businesses that will transcend the present generation.
According to the him, the ministry is collaborating with the NSE to strategies on guidelines on planning designs for contracts in engineeringcomponents, where Nigerian Engineers will perform with their counterparts in China and USA.
In his opening remarks, the President NSC, Engr. Otis Oliver Tabugbo Anyaeji, said the NSC, have inputs in the memo on local content Inclusion via Nigerian Engineering Firms on Projects and Programmes with Science, Engineering and Technology Contents which the Ministry presented to the Federal Executive Council.
He further said that the FEC guideline would guarantee steady/rapid capacity building, technology wise, to Nigerian Engineering companies, Engineers as well as other professionals.