The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said that Nigeria must shift from consumption to production if the country must attain greatness.
Osinbajo stated this in Awka, Anambra State on Friday, during a national innovation workshop organised by the senate committee on science, technology and innovation.
The vice president was represented by the Minister of State for Science and Technology, Henry Ikoh.
According to him, the Federal Government would continue to support innovation, while encouraging inventors to think towards commercialisation of their innovations.
He commended the senate committee led by Senator Uche Ekwunife, for it’s passion, noting that the workshop offered a unique platform to Nigerians to rebrand the national innovation ecosystem, with emphasis on technology and entrepreneurship.
He said, “As you are aware, the office of the vice president has been championing the adoption of innovative technology as a key tool to accelerating social economic development in Nigeria. The way to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich is by thinking out of the box, through innovation and commercialisation of course.
“Nigeria will be great only when we begin to shift our emphasis from a consuming nation. We must rely on production and that is the only way to go.
“The positive outcome of this workshop will no doubt change the narrative from a dependant nation to a self-reliant country, and indeed promote innovation and social economic benefit. I wish to assure you all that the Federal Government will continue to make efforts to advancesScience, technology and innovation.”
Ekwunife, who gave the keynote address, spoke on the theme, ‘Promotion of Local inventors of Science, Technology and Innovation’, pointed out that technology and innovation had continued to change the cause of human history, creating quantum prosperity to all who harvest from it.
“I have no doubt that Nigeria is rich in human capital and has the capacity to bring out the much needed innovation and inventions that will eliminate poverty and lead us to prosperity with a double digit GDP growth.
“It is gratifying to note that our new development plan, the Economic Recovery and Growth plan has recognised the important position occupied by STI in all economic activities of the nation,” she added.
She said the STI sector under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation is poised to move Nigeria from a resource based to a knowledge-based economy, driven by creativity and innovation.
The workshop was attended by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Uche Okafor, among others.
Soludo urged Nigerians to form a habit of patronising local inventors, adding that the state government had made it a policy to patronise local inventors.
