The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Standing Committee on Inventions and Innovations (PSCII) has supported 29 local inventors and innovators with a financial grant of N18 Million to assist them in creativity, inventions and innovation that will further national development, economic growth and global competitiveness.
While presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries at Abuja, the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey Ewa charged them to be more creative in their inventions and innovation saying “ I challenge all the beneficiaries here to work towards further creativity, inventions and innovations, using this grant, as this forms the critical factor in national development, economic growth and global competitiveness.
He stated that a total number of 103 inventors and innovators have so far benefitted from the grant across the six geo-political zones, since the inauguration of the committee in October, 2005.
The Minister disclosed that the committee was making efforts to improve the funding level of the grant, disclosing that collaborations with relevant stakeholders such as the Education Trust Fund (ETF), the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National planning Commission, would assist in achieving the ultimate goal of providing a solid foundation for a technological breakthrough in the country.
Prof. Ewa also encouraged Nigerians to see Science, Technology and Innovation as the tools for national development.
The Chairperson of the Presidential Standing Committee on Inventions and Innovation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta, congratulated the beneficiaries and advised them on the need to plough back the funds into their work, saying the committee had worked out an effective monitoring and evaluation system to monitor and supervise the utilization of the grants.
Responding, Mr. Ekpo Cletus who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries said they would plough the money into the businesses to ensure improvement in the work, adding that with the proper management and increase funding of the Science and Technology sector, Nigeria would be able to challenge China in less than five years. He called on the Bank of Industry in Nigeria to offer more assistance to the sector, especially in the area of single digits loan.
While expressing their appreciation on the good gesture of the Federal Government after the ceremony, Messrs Onifade Opeyemi from Kwara State, whose project on Wind Turbine (Opeontronics Renewable Power Technology) got One Million Naira (N1, 000,000.00) and Peter Emmanuel Bila from Taraba State, whose Project on Honey Granulated Technology (Agricultural), received the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000.00) promised to use the grant to scale up their technologies and work hard to ensure that their products are substantially improved with a view to ensuring that they are acceptable in the Nigerian market.
Federal Republic Of Nigeria | nigeria.gov.ng