Senator Osita Izunaso, the National Organising Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), on Friday criticised the laws of the country, saying were not promoting the commercialisation of local products.
Izunaso attributed the problem to inadequate implementation of the existing laws that would promote indigenous product commercialisation.
He spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Technology and Innovation Expo organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Abuja.
‘’The only way the lawmakers can support local innovators is to make laws that will promote indigenous productions like these.
‘’But those laws are already in place, it is just the implementation that is the clog in the wheel of progress,” he said.
The APC chieftain, who hinted that he was willing to invest and partner with the innovators, also advised the Federal Government on how it could assist inventors in commercialising their products.
‘’First of all, they should give our local inventors a sense of belonging.
‘’Secondly, when next this exhibition is taking place, they should invite more of investors and more of entrepreneurs that have their money to invest.
‘’So that when they come in, they will see what these people are doing and they will partner with them and mass-produced them for commercial purposes,” he said.
He said he was impressed by the variety of locally-made products exhibited by the inventors, calling on well-meaning Nigerians, government and captains of industries to encourage them.
‘’I’m indeed very delighted to be here first of all. From what I have seen today, it shows that a lot of Nigerians have initiatives and innovations and they need to be encouraged.
‘’So I must commend the Ministry of Science and Technology because what they have done now is to take the work directly to the grassroots so that all those people who have one innovation or another to showcase will be given an opportunity.
‘’Today, we have seen patent certificate being given to people who have initiated some things that are peculiar to them, which is an intellectual property protection.
‘’So I am satisfied with what I have seen. I believe this is an annual event. Next year, I will still be here to see more of what Nigerians can do,” he said. (NAN)
