NANFeatures/Vol.11/No.163/2017 (Dec. 22)
How useful is National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Product Development?
A News Analysis by Gabriel Agbeja, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report describes competitiveness as set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country.
It sees competiveness involving in how economy manages the totality of its resources and competencies to increase the prosperity of its population.
In a bid to provide a sustainable platform for such development in Nigeria, the Federal Government empower the Ministry of Science and Technology to drive national competiveness, productivity and economic activities through Science, Technology and Innovations (STI).
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, recently said in Abuja at a conference that Nigerian Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, 2017-2020, recommended STI for driving national competiveness.
According to him, the Federal Government is working hard to improve collaboration between research and development institutions with industry to boost business.
“I am happy to inform you that the Federal Executive Council approved the National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Product Development in May 2017.
“This is a clear path for future industry demand-driven research and development undertaking.
“It is expected that if successfully implemented, Nigeria will, in five years, save N3 trillion as a result of reduction in the consumption of foreign raw materials and products,’’ he said.
The minister said the ministry had presented National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (2030) to guide in using STI for national development, explaining that the government had begun the implementation of the roadmap.
According to him, the roadmap intends to utilise STI to drive economic growth and diversification of our country.
“It will also promote commercialisation of our research and development results, create employment and wealth, reduce poverty and support the realisation of the goals of economic recovery.
“In implementing it, the ministry is working to ensure availability of a funding mechanism to promote activities of the sector.
“The raised fund will support basic and applied research in tertiary institutions, private and corporate laboratories as well as generating support knowledge- driven activities in Nigeria,’’ he said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Prof. Manuel Heitor, Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, said the two countries would learn from each other and tighten their existing long time relationship by organising conferences.
Heitor stated that the collaboration between Nigeria and Portugal had placed Nigeria as a founding member of a world group to study the Atlantic Ocean, using science and technology
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello said the FCT administration had offer two plots of land to the ministry to build science museum and science and technology park.
Similarly, Prof. Paul Manza, President of Polymer Institute of Nigeria, described National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Product Development as key to Nigeria’s future sustainable development.
He observed that the implementation of the strategy would help economy adjust to the path of sustainable growth to quicken pace of recovery in short term and accelerate sustainable growth in the medium and long terms.
He said it would as well help Nigeria to deepen the processes of deploying STI effectively as the engine of growth in a diversified economy.
He noted that the effort would help to make a major shift from a resource-based to knowledge- based and innovation driven economy.
He also expressed optimism that the effort would aid the nation to conserve its foreign exchange and stimulate global competitiveness derivable from a resilient domestic capacity in a diversified economy.
“It is also noteworthy that the Federal Executive Council has approved the new policy guidelines for planning and execution of programmes, projects and contracts with science, engineering and technology components.
“This will help our nation to develop necessary local capacity needed for us as a people to look inwards to seek solutions to our problems.
He insisted that National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Product Development would reduce capital flight, promote local capacity, strengthen local manpower development, encourage indigenous technology capacity, enhance national self -reliance and restore national pride.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)