By Rashidat Aminu
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to partner the Imo State government in the deployment engineering and infrastructure for the state’s development.
Making a presentation during a courtesy call to the Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, at the Imo State Government House, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NASENI, Prof. Maiwalima Haruna, offered myriad of possible areas of collaboration with the state.
He explained that NASENI has the requisite skills and manpower to help the state fast track development in various areas such as renewable energy such as solar, kinetic turbine, agriculture, education, housing, transport sector, power and aviation.
Haruna, pointed out the agency has established various pilot phase of technologies it has learnt to different states, saying the technologies which have been proven to be useful can also be deployed to the state to boost its infrastructural development.
The NASENI boss urged the governor to take advantage of its various agricultural intervention to boost food security in the state.
“In agriculture, the unmanned aerial vehicle for spraying insecticides and herbicides in the farm. It can also be used for intelligence gathering if a camera is installed in it. We have other agricultural implements such as rice thresher, cassava grater, dryer for garri processing. Meat dryers to reduce unhygienic processing. Oil extractor.
“On other agricultural intervention in collaboration with NIRSAL is the national tractor rehabilitation, recovery and redeployment. It refurbishes tractor which would relieve state governors of having to paying for services of tractor rather rehabilitated tractors can be leased for a fee.
“Smart modular irrigation process to enable farmers pump water to the farm rather than going to the river. This irrigation process can make states have about three farming seasons in a year because of the availability of water. This is in collaboration with NIRSAL with technical support from NASENI for enhanced food production,” he added.
The EVC posited that NASENI is ready and willing to be part of the Imo State success story.
In his response, Uzodinma praised the agency for its numerous interventions in various sectors of the nation’s economy, stressing the world has left analogue economy and advanced countries and nations have moved to digital economy which is about science and technology, describing NASENI’s activities as very encouraging and gives hope to the nation.
He urged the NASENI boss to prioritize the states technological needs, even as he tasked them to also extend the agency’s services to the defense industry, agriculture, aviation, electricity and otherwise alternative energy.
“I have seen the presentation and also listened to you, your proposal for collaboration and possible partnership. I agree with you entirely and there will be need for a committee to sit down together and look at your capabilities, see what you can do immediately for us, in the medium and long term, work out a model for how best we can partner to allow for a win-win situation. The committee will sit down and work out a roadmap for the partnership. I plead with you to ensure that NASENI has sufficient presence in Imo State,” he added.
A 10-man committee was set up at the end of the meeting to begin process of collaboration to firm up the partnership between the agency and the state for rapid technological growth.
