BY ROSEMARY OGBONNAYA, ABUJA – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has canvassed for an increase in its annual funding for Research and Development (R&D) to $1 billion dollars per annum.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, who made the appeal to the Federal Government during the inauguration of TETFund’s R&D Standing Committee on Thursday in Abuja, however commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent increase of the research grant from N5 billion to N7.5 billion.
Prof. Bogoro said massive investment in research would bring about the desired development in the country.
This is as he also made a case for the promulgation of a law that will bring into full force a National R&D Foundation (NRDF) to deepen research in the country.
Bogoro said; “To galvanize our vision towards making R&D the ace and game changer in our national development agenda, the need for an appropriate law to support the establishment of a National R&D Foundation (NRDF) cannot be overstated.
“We need a robust institutional framework and arrangement for the NRDF. I am recommending a minimum annual budgetary threshold of 1billion dollars as the funding portfolio for this Foundation.
“When we consider the inevitable benefits of R&D and the inevitable benefits of R&D and the socio-economic challenges in Nigeria, this amount begins to look like a drop of water in the ocean-population of 200 million people in 2020 and projected to become double in 10 years for now,” he said.
Bogoro, who said the TETFund’s R&D Standing Committee is expected to come up with its own recommendation on the required amount that is suitable for efficient research activities in the country, called for a robust collaboration between researchers and the private sector to bring about all round development in the country.
Inaugurating the Committee, Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, charged members of the committee to put their best to the national assignment.
Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukuemeka Nwajuiba, Adamu said that continued investment in research would herald a rebirth of Nigeria.
“Nigeria voted us into power predicated on our being able to transform our national aspirations and make them a national achievement”.
On his part, Chairman, House of Reps Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, said the work of the committee would open the windows of opportunities to tackle various developmental challenges confronting the country.
Suleiman, represented by Hon. Ikenna Elezieanya, lamented the way Nigeria has shown less concern to research, saying that many developed countries invested in research and development and thus helped to improve on their economy.
Responding, the Chairman of the over 160-member TETFund’s R & D Committee, Prof. Njidda M. Gadzama, said the epoch making event will transform the socio-economic sector by ensuring robust promotion of cutting-edge innovations.
He said; “We promise to carry out our assignment with commitment and diligence and this will result in the R & D Culture and R&D Foundation to drive industrialization of the country”.
The Standing Committee whose membership is drawn from the academic, industry and private sector, has the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mansur Ahmed, as one of the three Vice Presidents.
