The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to partner the Imo State government on the deployment of engineering and infrastructure for the state’s development.
Making a presentation during a courtesy call to the governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, at the Imo State Government House, the executive vice chairman (EVC) of NASENI, Prof. Maiwalima Haruna, who led top management staff of the agency on the visit, offered myriad of possible areas of collaboration with the state.
He explained that NASENI had the requisite skills and manpower to help the state fast-track development in various areas such as renewable energy such as solar, kinetic turbine, agriculture, education, housing, transport sector, power and aviation.
Haruna pointed out that the agency had established various pilot phases of technologies it learnt to different states, saying the technologies which had been proven to be useful could also be deployed to the state to boost its infrastructural development.
He boss urged the governor to take advantage of its various agricultural interventions to boost food security in the state.
“In agriculture, we have the unmanned aerial vehicle for spraying insecticides and herbicides in the farm. It can also be used for intelligence gathering if a camera is installed in it. We have other agricultural implements such as rice thresher, cassava grater, dryer for garri processing, meat dryers to reduce unhygienic processing as well as oil extractor.
“On other agricultural interventions in collaboration with NIRSAL is the national tractor rehabilitation, recovery and redeployment. It refurbishes tractors which would relieve state governors of having to pay for services of tractors, rather rehabilitated tractors can be leased for a fee.
“There is also smart modular irrigation process to enable farmers pump water to the farm rather than going to the river. This irrigation process can make states have about three farming seasons in a year because of the availability of water. This is in collaboration with NIRSAL with technical support from NASENI for enhanced food production,” he added.
The EVC posited that NASENI was ready and willing to be part of the Imo State success story.
In his response, Uzodinma praised the agency for its numerous interventions in various sectors of the nation’s economy, stressing that the world has left analogue economy and advanced countries and nations have moved to digital economy which is about science and technology and describing NASENI’s activities as very encouraging and gives hope to the nation.
He urged the NASENI boss to prioritize the state’s technological needs, even as he tasked them to also extend the agency’s services to the defense industry, agriculture, aviation, electricity and otherwise alternative energy.
“I have seen the presentation and also listened to you, your proposal for collaboration and possible partnership. I agree with you entirely and there will be need for a committee to sit down together and look at your capabilities, see what you can do immediately for us, in the medium and long term, work out a model for how best we can partner to allow for a win-win situation. The committee will sit down and work out a roadmap for the partnership. I plead with you to ensure that NASENI has sufficient presence in Imo State,” he added.
A 10-man committee was set up at the end of the meeting to begin process of collaboration to firm up the partnership between the agency and the state for rapid technological growth.
