BY BANYO TEMITAYO
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure to immediately set machineries in motion to manufacture a Made-in-Nigeria helicopter.
To facilitate this goal, the President directed the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed; and the Federal Inland Revenue Service to release funds approved by law to the agency.
The President, as Chairman of NASENI, gave the marching order during a virtual meeting of the agency’s board.
According to him, NASENI, by its mandate, is strategically poised to develop local capacity in machine building and fabrication, which is critical to Nigeria’s industrial development.
President Buhari, however, added that the agency must be empowered through adequate provision of financial, human and material resources and allowed to exercise independence to forge partnerships if it must record any remarkable success.
He said, “By its mandate, NASENI is strategically poised to develop local capacity in machine building and fabrication, which is critical to Nigeria’s industrial development.
“However, in order for it to realise its full potential, NASENI must be empowered through the provision of adequate financial, human and material resources and be given the autonomy and independence to forge international partnerships to acquire the relevant technologies for social, economic and industrial advancement of the country.
“In this regard, I have directed the minister of finance budget and national planning and Federal Inland Revenue Services, to commence remittances of funds approved by law to the agency.”
The President added that the agency’s enabling law was promulgated to an Act in 2004.
Section 2, Subsection 1 and 3 of NASENI Act provide for a governing board of the agency under the chairmanship of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he explained.
The President also directed the finance minister to conclude negotiation and acceptance of 85 per cent funding source for the establishment of solar cell production, high voltage testing laboratory transformation, in collaboration with China industry cooperation.
President Buhari said, “It is important to NASENI board to note that agencies of government with similar mandate as NASENI in many countries are under the supervision of their respective heads of states and government.
“That this administration has a premium and importance attached to home grown technology, science and engineering infrastructure towards the social economic and technological development of respective countries.
“The uniqueness of the mandate of NASENI as enshrined in the enabling law towards actualization and realization of our development programme such as creating 10 million jobs, Economic Recovery and Growth Programme and post coronavirus sustainability plan, it’s only deliberate deployment of engineering, science, technology and innovation using technology domestication and reversed engineering of capital goods, making them available them in Nigeria that can fast-rack realisation of our collective will to build the capacity and reduce poverty of our teaming populace.
“The countries that are at the forefront of economic recovery, have only one thing in common, investment and sustained research and development work in knowledge economy.”
