The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged the Federal Government to explore the possibilities of using Science and Technology to tackle security challenges facing the country.
NCS President, Prof. Adesina Sodiya said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Sodiya advised the government to place more emphasis on research towards achieving the goal.
“The research should come from tertiary institutions where algorithms could be developed to provide an instant red- alert to robbery, kidnapping, banditry etc. through microelectronics hardware development.
“It is umpteenth time for the Ministry of Science and Technology to come up with national programmes that will enhance the efficiency of our production systems and enhance grassroots development in our traditional agricultural practices through mobile technology.
“It will also give competitive edge to marketing new home-grown technological products and services and provide explicit action driven strategic to accelerate immediate translation of policy statements into sustainable development, “he said.
Sodiya said the federal government should push for a greater foundation in science and technology that will translate into real growth and usable-home grown action product in the life of ordinary Nigerian.
“Our national education policy should focus more on encouraging science and technology from primary schools to tertiary institutions through provision of incentives and awards to exceptional students.
“There is equally a need for national action-plan that focus on encouraging brilliant Nigerians from seeking greener pasture overseas,” he said.
Sodiya said Nigeria had long identified the critical role of science and technology with the establishment of the ministry, adding that the country also made huge investment in policy statements and created various policies to actualise the goal of sustainable national development.
He said the policies in some cases were backed with acts of parliament to demonstrate the seriousness on the path of government.
“These investments are insignificant when compared with other leading economies of the world.
” For instance, Bostwana spends 0.5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on Science and Technology, Nigeria only averaged a little above 0.25 per cent, ” Sodiya said.
He said the problem was complicated by the absence of meaningful translation of policy statement into usable action plan where the citizenry could see improved service delivery in key sectors like agriculture, education, health, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.
Sodiya said, however, that the application of science and technology has revolutionised the financial and aviation sectors of the country.
“The sectors are competing favourably with other relevant sectors internationally through acceptable products transfer and standardisation, there is paucity of significant of science and technology for agric-business, education, health, manufacturing, biotechnology, e-government initiatives,” he said.(NAN)
