World Inventors Day: Contribution of science to GDP is low - Agency

Prof. Saidu Mohammed

Prof. Saidu Mohammed, Director-General NASDRA

Prof. Saidu Mohammed, Director-General NASDRA
Prof. Saidu Mohammed, Director-General NASDRA

The National Space and Research Development Agency (NASRDA) said on Tuesday that while science drives development, its contribution so far to the nation’s development was less than one per cent.

NASRDA Director-General, Prof. Saidu Mohammed, made the remark in Abuja at a workshop to sensitise students on space science.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is part of activities to mark the World Inventors’ Day.

“Everything around us is science; there is hardly anything we are doing or using that is not science oriented, yet the country is not maximising its benefits.

“It is what you put in that you get back that is how life is. The contribution of science and technology in Nigeria is less than one per cent; it is actually about 0.01 per cent.

“If what is going to drive the whole thing that we do in Nigeria including agriculture is science and technology, how can we be putting only 0.01 per cent into it?

“It goes to show that there is a whole lot that we need to do to step up our science and technology,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to follow the yardstick of the United Nations science and technology contribution so as to set the nation at par with the rest of the world.

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Mohammed, who was represented by Dr Olufemi Agboola , Director, Engineering and Space Systems, NASRDA, said the world inventors’ day was meant to reflect on the contributions of science to nations.

He also said the day would encourage youths to work further on the inspiration of their gifted forefathers, hence making the road ahead brighter and more successful.

“The programme would help to imbibe in the students the love for science and the consciousness to invent and help Nigeria to shift from a consuming nation to a producing one,” he said.

Dr Benjamin Ayantunji, the Chief Scientific Officer of NASRDA, said the programme was organised by Spring Technology Project in conjunction with NASRDA to educate students early in life on space science.

“Catching the students young to develop their interest in space science would end the phobia of science, while giving them a strong footing in science from an early age,” he said.

He said the inventors’ day was not just to show respect and pay homage to the great minds who had invented things, but rather to awaken the realization in the youths that they had the capability to invent.

Also speaking, Mr Brain Henry, President, Spring Technology Project, said over 85 schools participated in the event.

Henry said the objective was to regularly instill the consciousness of space science in the students, adding that space science clubs would be introduced in schools to achieve this aim.

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