Imported User:
Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi on Monday called on Nigerians to look inward and patronise locally developed technologies for the development of the country.
This is contained in a statement signed Mr Segun Ayeoyenikan, Chief Information Officer, Media and Protocol of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to the statement, the governor made the call when the acting Director General of NASENI Mohammed Haruna paid him a courtesy visit in Lokoja.
He called on the federal and state governments to halt importation of science and industrial equipment into Nigeria but to look inward for science and industrial equipment manufactured by NASENI.
He said that NASENI was now known for possessing the technology and capacity to produce world standard scientific equipment and industrial capital goods using Nigerian engineers and scientists.
He expressed satisfaction that “right in Nigeria there are local engineering capacities like NASENI that could give technical support to socio-economic transformation agenda of both Kogi State, the Federal Government.
“We are pursuing a transformation agenda and you cannot transform without science. I assure you that the process of transformation in the state is what my deputy, my team and I are determined to do.
“With the work your Agency is doing now, Nigeria need not import primary, junior and tertiary science kits and industrial equipment anymore.
He eulogised the leadership of the agency for providing science kits to make the study of science more interesting and reachable for school children.
On solar panel modules production by NASENI, the governor said he was pleased on the agency’s capability in solar energy production; adding that the beauty of solar energy in Nigeria was that there was abundant sunlight in the country.
“I am very glad that we have the capacity to manufacture and install same, so I can assure you that the state government will latch on the opportunity of your capacity as we go along in this collaboration.''
Wada said that since the agency had capability in Small Hydro Power for electricity generation, his state was ready to work with the agency to provide rural electrification to some villages.
“I can see that there are many areas we will collaborate and cooperate with you and that is why I said that the support that was hitherto missing is now here and we will grow from strength to strength.
Earlier in his presentation, the acting Director-General of NASENI, Dr Mohammed Haruna, outlined the agency’s mandate as charged with the responsibility of establishing and operating a Science and Engineering Infrastructure for industrialisation.
He said that NASENI has made tremendous impact in Kogi, including, turning the Federal Polytechnic Idah, into a Centre of Excellence on behalf of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETF).
He said that NASENI has also donated a rotary furnaces to Mopa Technical College and Osara Campus of Kogi State Polytechnic.
The NASENI boss also said that the Power Equipment and Engineering Development Institute (PEEMADI), Okene, one of the nine institutes of the agency anchored an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre (AMTC) in the state.
He said that the centre has facilities capable of producing world class precision component parts from design through simulation to production using Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software and Computerized Numerical Controlled (CNC) machines.
These services, he added, were available for the independent power producers and PEEMADI would be ready for collaborations in building and improving the Kogi State Ministry of Science and Technology through its expertise.
``The Okene Institute is strategic because, there cannot be stable power in Nigeria except she meet requirements for components, spare parts and machines that are produced locally.
The governor later directed the engagement of the permanent secretaries the state ministries of health, science and technology and education with NASENI to workout areas of technical cooperation between NASENI and Kogi. (NAN)
