By Abba Ado
I believe the Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation is not a graveyard ministry where no development or policies will bring positive and sustainable achievement to our state or country. I learned that many people think science and technology are not among the portfolios that can contribute immensely to economic development and growth.
The Ministry is designed to promote education, scientific research, and development at the state and national levels and evaluate their impact on society. Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) play a significant role in addressing issues such as agriculture, sustainability, food security, climate change, healthcare, and education.
Recently, Kano State Governor Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf announced his cabinet reshuffle, changing the commissioner for Higher Education to the Ministry for Science and Technology. Some people were mildly upset, while others mocked the commissioner and even underestimated the ministry for political reasons.
Nigeria has a massive gap in STI policy, and we need to address it to achieve sustainable economic growth. We alsoneed to start relying on technological innovations to solve our existing problems.
We need an effective policy to help our scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs develop and commercialise their products. With this, we can start exporting our products, and at the same time, our currency will add value.
I hope the newly assigned commissioner for the Ministry for STI will work hard and implement the “Triple Helix” concept, a collaborative model between industries, academia, and government to promote technological innovations and economic growth. As a commissioner, his duties are to facilitate knowledge from the universities to the industries and eventually to progress it to the society for commercialisation.
Since 1949, China has focused on Science and Technology, and its economic development has been remarkable. The country has implemented effective policies to exploit local innovation and facilitate its commercialisation.
Domestic companies like Moonlight Communication should not be taken for granted. We urgently need to optimise their efforts, and the government needs to engage heavily and provide strong networking, which can transform our sustainable development.
Afri Venture Capital is another opportunity to leverage as a commissioner for STI to establish networking and investment; interestingly, this company has launched its funding opportunities in Kano State.
I advise the newly appointed commissioner to ignore any discouragement from the naysayers who think his assignment to the Ministry for STI has downgraded him. He should focus on providing a suitable platform for huge investment in research and development in our domestic institutions in Kano State and translating this research into a usable product.
It might not be easy, but it is possible with hard work and perseverance. As an economist who can think critically, I believe he can easily integrate STI with economic development to help Kano State. This new role will undoubtedly contribute to solving the state problems of energy, climate change, agriculture, and healthcare.
Abba Ado wrote via abbaadomusa0@gmail.com.