The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said strategic partnership with the media on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) development is the key to move the country from resource to knowledge-based economy.
The minister said this when the Leadership Newspaper group paid him a courtesy visit today (July 23) in his office in Abuja.
Onu stated that the FMST had taken it upon itself to move the economy away from depending on commodities to a knowledge and innovation- driven economy.
“We are a very blessed nation, rich with abundant natural resources, sixth largest exporter of crude oil, yet whenever there is a sharp drop in the price of commodities in the international market, it adversely affects the economy,” he pointed out.
He stressed that the country’s enormous natural resources, if properly harnessed, could add value to the economy and be transformed into finished products for export.
This, he said, would help expand the economy through our local production and wealth would not just be created for individuals, but for the country, describing it as the surest way out of poverty.
He reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to moving 1 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
He further said the Federal Government had put in place policies that would make the industrialization process irreversible, as the country had attained certain level of industrialization.
“FMST is saying that if we bring in STI, then the industrialization process will be irreversible, and we can add value to what we have,” he stated.
Onu said his ministry had many revolutionary innovative policies, highlighting Executive Order no. 5 he said placed STI at the centre of all economic activities.
He averred that Nigerian professionals must be at the centre of economic activities to enable the country domesticate its technology to make money faster.
The minister called on young Nigerians to look inwards so that the image of the country could be protected and attract foreign investment.
He commended the contribution of Leadership Newspapers for their contribution to nation building and said his ministry was ready to partner them in creativity for the development of the nation.
