By Ijeoma Ndubisi
Abuja – An NGO, World Skills Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to review outdated policies on Science, Technology and Innovations (STIs) to embrace global trends.
Mr Rahman Mogaji, the Chief Executive Officer of the NGO said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja as the country celebrates its 57th Independence.
“There is no need creating more policies to develop the STI sector; it is important to review some outdated policies,’’ he said.
Mogaji said that there was need to review some of policies on STIs to place the sector at par with global standards.
“Nigeria over the past 57 years, has painstakingly tried to develop the science and technology sector.
“Although a lot has been done to develop the sector but it has to be a gradual process because we don’t really have the enabling environment.
“Also we have policies that are not properly implemented; the National Policy on Science and Technology Education created by the ministry of education is one of such policies.
“The government has the problem of supporting and implementing policies, which if seriously followed will land the country to its promised land in technology development,” Mogaji said.
He said that STI policies should be evaluated to encourage youths, adding that the youths had the intellect to drive the sector toward development.
Mogaji said that the government could empower the youths by creating a platform to interface with professionals in the sector, thereby improving their skills.
NAN reports that last STI policy was established in Sept. 2011, with the objective of building a strong STI capacity and capability needed to evolve a modern economy.
It is also to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge to adapt, utilise, replicate and diffuse technologies for the growth of SMEs, agricultural development, food security, power generation, and poverty reduction.
Others are to support the establishment and strengthening of organisations, institutions and structures for effective coordination and management of STI activities within a virile innovation economy. (NAN)