The director-general of the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Prof. Paul Onyenekwe, has revealed plans of the agency to work with its newly inaugurated board, the National Assembly and other agents of government to ensure that Nigeria is show-cased better.
He made this known during the inaugural meeting of the newly inaugurated 11-man board of SHESTCO, which was one of 12 other boards inaugurated for agencies under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, inaugurated by the minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, yesterday in Abuja.
Onyenekwe emphasized that the foremost research institute, one of Nigeria’s centres of excellence, is poised to make a difference in Nigeria through its various interventions.
“I may have to inform you that SHESTCO plays a very prominent role in the daily running of the National Authority on Chemical and Biological Weapon in Nigeria, where I am the second vice-chairman. SHESTCO is also directly involved in climate change within the ministry and the nation.
“We discovered that one of the problems is insufficient food. Nigerians farm a lot but don’t produce enough. This is because we don’t farm the high-yielding, disease-resistant seeds. Now, we are trying to ensure that we can produce some of these things and introduce new varieties that will help the farmers,” he said.
He revealed that the agency already has it’s workplan for the next 3 to 4 years and it will work harmoniously with the board to achieve its itemized objectives and goals.
Earlier in his remarks, the board chairman, Sen. Lawal Aliyu, described SHESTCO as a “very important outfit”, while expressing optimism that the institute will become the pride of the nation before long.
“I can tell you without mincing words that this is a family affair; we are not going to come up with anything untoward that is going to change the course of direction in this establishment. The only thing I can assure you is that the board will work together with the management and staff to move this agency to the next level, add value and make this place better and more transparent as much as it concerns the management of this place and staff welfare,” he added.
