Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to help grow the economy by focusing on skill development and technology transfer.
The National Secretary of ASUP, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe who spoke at the 2nd National conference and 3rd Quarter Zonal Executive Council Meeting of ASUP at Kenule Sara-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State, said to get it right the present administration must target a massive increase in research, skill development and technological transfer.
The theme of the conference is “Adaptive Technology for Self Reliance and Sustainable Development”.
Ezeibe said the technological transfer process can take the forms of joint venture licensing agreement, consulting, patent exchange and other contractual agreement. He noted that technology is not one source of growth for individual enterprise and nations, but the central source in many cases. He said the need for skill development became necessary when it was clear that the oil sector does not have the ability to generate production and consumption linkages with others of the economy.
He said: “Technology transfer failures in Nigeria are ironically evidence in critical large scale industries notably in automatic, energy, iron and steel as well as petroleum and petrochemical industrial sectors. If we want to get it right there is need to be serious on research and development. There is need for technological support structure and services to be in place for effective technology transfer programmes to be successful. Investments should be made in the area of human capital development as ideas are the critical input in the production of more valuable human and non human capital.”
Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike who declared the event opened through a reprehensive Mr. Nathaniel Georgewill, reiterated his support for Polytechnics education, stressing that his government would do everything possible to support technological driven ideas.
Also speaking at the event, the chairman of ASUP, Ken Saro-Wiwa chapter, Comrade Ferry Barineka Gberegbe said this is the time to encourage skill development and knowledge transfer.
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.
