Joy Mackson, Abuja
In recognition of the pivotal role of women in Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Science and Technology has promised to invest massively in science education of the girl child.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, in Abuja made the pledge in Abuja recently at the celebration of World Science Day marked on November 10 of every year.
According to him, the successful development of any nation in the 21st century lies strongly on the inclusion of the girl child in science education and other developmental projects since they are robust change agents.
Onu said: ‘The celebration of the World Science Day is to emphasise the benefits of Science, Technology and Innovation to human development,’ adding that ‘Science is crucial to solving both economic and security challenges facing the country.’
He further revealed that concerted efforts were being made to end the exclusion of the girl child in science, technology and innovation.
The Minister added that the application of science and technology was very crucial to ending poverty, unemployment and security currently challenges facing the country.
‘We are raising the consciousness of our people to embrace Science, Technology and Innovation,’ he stressed.
On the current security challenges facing the country, Onu stressed the importance of intelligence gathering, surveillance and transmission using science and technology.
He also said that Nigeria was edging closer to meeting the African Union’s (AU) resolution that member states should allocate at least 1% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the development of Science Technology Innovation (STI).
The Minister also extolled the virtues and hard work of the Ministry in the management of COVID-19 pandemic, explaining that assertions of vaccines of the pandemic efficiently produced by about 57 indigenous organisations are already under examination by the Ministry and the Nigerian Academy of Science.
He emphasised that the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Science and Technology – through reverse-engineering, successfully developed high-quality ventilators
‘We have also recorded success in developing a new and faster method of testing Covid-19; therefore Nigeria must be counted among the countries that contributed positively to solving the global challenge of COVID-19,’ he stated.