Abuja – Some young scientists and inventors on Tuesday in Abuja called on all tiers of government to promote self reliance and youth empowerment by investing in their inventions.
The youths, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) appealed to the Federal Government to encourage them by funding the manufacturing of their inventions.
Emeka Ugwueze, one of the inventors, who invented a waste management bio-degradable waste recycling fuel and interlocking stone production machine, said that he developed the machines from a science project in school.
Ugwueze, a science student of the Community Secondary School, Umuokpu Awka, Anambra, said that he was inspired by the science projects that was carried out in his school.
“I have named my invention `Mgbanwe 12’, meaning `change’, the project took me about six months to manufacture and it is a project that is very environment friendly.
“With the machine, plastic waste products in the environment can be converted to better use; it is a machine that turns waste to wealth.
“It can be used to convert pure water sachets that litter the environment into bio-fuel that can be used to run our generators.
“Also it can be used to manufacture environment friendly interlocking blocks that beautify the environment, thereby eliminating plastic waste from the environment.’’
Ugwueze said that he was able to produce this machine by collecting what others referred to as litters in the environment and converting them to useful products.
The youth called on government to invest in their inventions to promote creativity and self reliance as well as to encourage wealth creation among youths.
“If we can produce such a machine with the encouragement and input of our teachers and parents, we can do greater things if government can commit some resources to assist us.
“I am, therefore, appealing to government to help me to add value to this invention so that it can be more refined and possibly made more accessible to people,’’ Ugwueze said.
Another youth, Ihere-serg Mascot, a student of 12th Apostles College, Ebonyi, who built a Solar Powered Vehicle, also urged government to promote the inventions made by students.
Mascot said that these inventions were viable and could generate employment for the masses if government and the private sector would key into the efforts of the young inventors.
“This vehicle can serve four people at a time just like our Keke Napep and the good thing about it is that it does not use petrol; just park the car under the sun and it is activated to serve you.
“Government’s assistance will make the car look better; this will encourage more students to be more creative and productive.
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“Nigerian youths can be manufacturers of cars if our government can develop faith in us and invest in these things that we build.
“Our teachers are some of the best in the world; they only need for more facilities to be provided to boost their efforts.’’
NAN recalls that Mr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, said that the Federal Government was determined to encourage the application of technology as a veritable tool for national development.
“We need to strengthen the acquisition and application of technology as an important instrument for national development.
“Indeed, we need to place greater emphasis on science, engineering, technology and innovation to enable us achieve self reliance, national pride and global acclaim,’’ Onu said.
The youths, therefore, called on the government to put words into action so that their potential could be harnessed to achieve socio-economic development of the country. (NAN)