| NAN-H-50 Innovation By Constance Athekame Abuja, Nov 13, 2017 (NAN) A Swedish Scientist, Dr Sven-Thore Holm on Monday in Abuja called on the Nigerian Government to invest in innovation to boost the country’s research and development sector. Holm who led Sweden to develop a science park and is presently assisting the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka on a similar project, said this at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said that money was needed to carry out innovation, while urging government to see the investment as a huge one which would be repaid by taxes, employment and production. According to him, finance is a challenge and the team will handle that as it is a national innovation strategy from the central government which will end up in the budget in terms of money. Holm said the investment would yield 10 times the money that was being invested, describing it as the best investment that could be done. “You are investing in young people, producing things, employment and hopefully they will pay taxes and other things which will go back to the community. “The major problem is to convince the Ministry of Finance, it is not the cost but a huge important investment. “This kind of activity we are doing, that we are growing together with the UNN is one of the most important infrastructure you can imagine. “Normally, politicians see infrastructure as roads, telecom system, bridges, rails but the nation’s innovation system is even more important. It is a part of the modern society and a part of a modern infrastructure.’’ He said that the team would meet with the different ministries to explain how innovation works around the world. According to him, going into entrepreneurship has to do with the culture, tradition and history of the people and the team is trying to change that. He said usually in the 1970s and 80s, a lot of people go into their existing industries and public sector to work. He said that the team would change that by introducing entrepreneurial courses in the universities even at the Master’s level. “I brought a proposal to the country about that, about having a master in education in Nigeria that the examination will be from Sweden. “We can do that by collecting people from the entire country about 50 people every semester. (NAN) COA/EEE ======= Edited by Ese E. Ekama
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Expert urges govt to invest in innovation
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