The Minister of Science Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has averred that over three million jobs stand to be created if only 20 per cent of cassava is used to replace wheat in making bread in the country.
This was as he expressed the commitment of his ministry in adding value to the country’s agricultural produce through food processing to forestall wastages.
Disclosing this when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, in Abuja, yesterday, Onu stated that import substitution and development of new technologies were needed to revive the nation’s ailing economy.
He further explained that the ministry was also working to domesticate technologies and ensure that imported machines are produced in the country, noting that this could be realised through massive investment in research and development.
The minister attributed the poor level of technological development in the country to lack of cooperation between the public and private sectors as well as the universities and research institutions, regretting that they had not worked together to ensure that research findings were put to use.
While describing the NESG as the gateway to the private sector, he assured the delegation of the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with them. In his remarks, leader of delegation and Chairman of NESG Board of Directors, Mr. Kyari Bukar, told the minister that their visit was to seek closer working relationship with the ministry and its agencies to create public-private synergies required to make science and technology the driver for achieving competitiveness, inclusive growth and sustainability in the country.
He called for implementation of the science, technology and innovation policy within the shortest possible time, arguing that it would enable the ministry contribute immensely to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Comments