By Ijeoma Ndubisi
Abuja – A Scientist, Robinson Ughasoro says the Federal Government should focus on science, technology, Research and Development (R&D) to make Nigeria a force to reckon with in the comity of nations.
Ughasoro said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, government should provide funding to enable institutions, agencies and other establishments in the sector to carry out study and research relevant to national development agenda.
“Government should realise that no country can make progress without advancement in science and technology, research and development.
“The government should pay more attention to this sector to accelerate national development.”
Ughasoro added that the government should make more money available to the Ministry of Science and Technology and its agencies to reach out to areas of importance to the country.
He said that it was important to appoint experts and competent people to manage science and technology agencies and institutions, to promote knowledge-based economy.
“Our economy is already knowledge based, but the point is which knowledge.
“There are knowledge based in so many facets of the economy, financial procedures, agriculture, mines and steel, transportation.
“`We need to take it more seriously and put in experts to head such institutions.
“The knowledge-based economy is something that must be done by people who also have the knowledge.”
He, however, said that Nigeria’s pace towards the development of science and technology had spanned over 40 years with some milestones recorded.
