President Bola Tinubu has pledged to continue to support the use of science and development in national planning.
The President said this during his investiture as the Grand Patron of the Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS) on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that no nation, especially Nigeria, desirous of improvement in its diverse natural and human resources, would downplay the significance of research.
Tinubu said that the administration would place more preference on researches by the academy in its quest to reform the nation’s economy and resolve the challenges facing Nigerians.
“Paying attention to research, science and development is a commitment that I will continue to support directly and through various government policies and programmes, through our ministries of science and technology, health, education and related Ministries will be mobilised.
“And in the role of the National academy of science and funding for research,science and development, I am fully committed,” the President said.
The NAS is the foremost independent scientific body in Nigeria which was established in 1977; but incorporated in 1986.
It is uniquely positioned to bring scientific knowledge to bear on the policies/strategic direction of the country and is also dedicated to the development and advancement of science, technology, and innovation in Nigeria.
Prof. Ekanem Braide, President of the NAS, said that the academy has the resources to contribute to the development agenda of the administration.
“For National problems to be conclusively addressed there is a need for healthy collaboration between the centres, government, industries and community in a quadruple helix arrangement. This way there will be effective research translation, that is the movement of research output from the laboratories, workshops to inform policies and practice.”
She said the fellows and member of the NAS, who are from all disciplines of sciences, would continue to give their best to the national development.(NAN)
By Ismail Abdulaziz
