We shall establish six technology and innovation centres for global competitiveness in line with the presidential Executive Order 05.
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, has inaugurated 12 governing boards, councils of agencies and institutes of the ministry.
At the event held in the ministry in Abuja on Thursday the minister expressed displeasure with the indices on technological readiness reported by World Economic Forum (WEF).
According to him, the inauguration is remarkable in the history of the ministry due to the Global Competitiveness Report of the WEF.
Onu said that the latest report, 2018/2019 rated “our institution’s global competiveness ranking on a scale of Seven points at 2.94, technological readiness at 1.82 and innovation at 2.17 respectively.
“This scenario implies (performance of) 42 per cent, 26 per cent and 31 per cent for institution, technological readiness and innovation,’’ he said.
The minister said this showed that the ministry had a lot of work to do.
He said the administration was on the path of repositioning and strengthening the ministry and its agencies to emphasise the desire to contribute to national development.
Onu hinted that the ministry had additional responsibility from the federal government of being assigned the role of custodian of all the fundamentals of innovation in Nigeria.
The minister assured that a new rebranded ministry was emerging with implication for commitment of all stakeholders within the STI ecosystem.
“The ministry is poised to engage the sub-national levels of governance including states and local governments.
“Our presence at the state level will provide opportunity to use STI in the supply value-chain in agricultural production, business development of micro, small, medium enterprises and the academia in a constructive strategic framework.
“We shall establish six technology and innovation centres for global competitiveness in line with the presidential Executive Order 05,’’ Onu said.
He said the new appointees had an important role to play in achieving the noble goals spelt out and expressed optimism that with all hands on deck, Nigeria would become self-reliant.
Onu told the new appointees and members of the governing boards and councils that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved their appointments which would enable them to make noteworthy contributions.
He charged them to be careful with their suggestions, contributions, involvement and dispositions to the strategic elements to drive accomplishments of the mandates of their agencies.
(NAN)