SYNTECH Backs Minister’s Call On Executive Order5 Implementation

By Remi Johnson

In a bid to diversify the country’s economy, the Science and Technology Advocacy Initiative, SYNTECH, has stressed the need for Nigeria to look toward the direction of industrialization, innovation and technological advancement.

This was even as the Coalition commended the Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, Mr Uche Nnaji for calling for the full implementation of the Federal Government’s Executive Order No 5.

Interacting with Journalists in Abuja, Mr Nnaji explained that the Executive Order N0.5 highlights the significance of embracing Science, technology and innovation instruments for the promotion of a viable, sustainable economic growth and rapid transformation.

The Minister said the policy aligned with the 8-point Renewed Hope Agenda of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He noted that the Order No5 which was signed in 2018, was a transformative policy designed to drive innovation that will be instrumental to diversification, technological advancement as well as promotion of domestic and foreign investments.

Earlier, National Co-ordinator of SYNTECH, a Non-governmental Coalition, Faith Nwadishi described the advocacy as a bold step in the right direction, adding that it will serve as a catalyst for the development of both human and material resources of the country.

“Nobody climbs a tree from the top. The development of any country must start from the homefront, making its way up the ladder for sustainable growth and development”.

According to Nwadishi, Kick-starting economic transformation with the instruments of Science, Technology, and Innovation holds the fundamental keys and road map to Nigeria’s growth and development.

She expressed SYNTECH’s determination to build the needed synergy with the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and other stakeholders to enable Nigeria meet the rest of the world in the area of technology.

Nwadishi also stressed the need for effective collaboration and partnership among stakeholders in research institutions, development partners and Civil Societies towards developing home-grown capacity to redesign and duplicate Made-in-Nigeria goods with a view to tackling unemployment and poverty amongst Nigerians.

“SYNTECH hopes to bring the Science, Technology and Innovation Sector to the front burner of national discourse soon in its advocacy programmes, and stimulate national debate on what needs to be done to pull Nigeria out of the dependency syndrome that has resulted in the unabated importation of goods and services into the country, thereby hampering home-grown and sustainable development potential of the country.” Nwadishi said

Edited By Grace Namiji