By Hillary Asemota
The National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), an agency of the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in its determined push for Nigeria’s development, said arrangement has been concluded to hold an all-encompassing stakeholder’s national workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Abuja between Wednesday 24th and 25th November.
The workshop which is expected to stimulate and trigger the tool for rapid socio-economic development in Nigeria is designed to provide a forum for scientists and technology technocrats to interface on topical issues in STI for sustainable development in Nigeria.
Also critical to the workshop is that it is expected to open up the roles of STI in job creation and youth empowerment, provide an opportunity for government and stakeholders to identify key areas of urgent action and resources needed, provide a platform for stakeholders to collaborate and network in the deployment of STI to the key sectors of the economy, provide an avenue for feedback on key government policies in STI.
The Public Relations Officer, of the agency, Mr. Isaac Oluyi, in a statement, explained that the interface will explore high impact research outputs relevant to the nation’s Socio-economic enhancement and transformation, broaden the base/reach of the agency’s activities in the Northern flanks and North-central axis of the country with a view to showcasing the importance of STI to national development.
Expected at the event according to Oluyi, are policymakers, industrialists, science, technology and innovation technocrats/experts, lawmakers, academics, among others.
The Minister of State in the Ministry, he said Barr. Mohammed Abdulahi, will deliver the keynote address at the workshop.
Meanwhile, in a breathtaking gathering of government officials, private sector players and academia, NACETEM, has concluded a workshop on revitalizing Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) in Enugu.
The Director General of the agency, Prof. Okechukwu Ukwuoma, while expressing optimism because of the calibre of the gathering said the momentous workshop on revitalising TVET in Nigeria has become poignant.
According to him, there couldn’t have been a better time to couple technical know-how with other available knowledge than now when the government is aggressively and systematically lifting the teeming populace from unemployment doldrums.
So, beaming our searchlight continuously on technical and vocational education is deliberate and it is indeed a calculated attempt at complementing the efforts of the federal government in creating wealth and providing gainful employments for all, he added.
The NACETEM boss explained that as part of our intentionality about deploying technical and vocational education to ameliorate unemployment conundrum in the country, NACETEM, as an agency of government, has in the last 6 months organised similar workshop at the Southwest, specifically in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to him, this shows NACETEM’s deliberateness in reaching out to all the six geopolitical zones of the country in revamping technical and vocational education in Nigeria as there is no substitute to skill acquisition in achieving sustainable development.
He said: “With the workshop in Enugu, he added that it is the turn of the South-east and nearby zones to see how pivotal TVET is to creating wealth and gainful employment in the country.
“Let me make it abundantly clear here that no part of the country will be left out in ensuring that TVET takes its prideful place in the drive towards sustainable development.
He said: “It is imperative to stress that the primary objectives of this particular workshop include: to discuss the challenges be-devilling TVET in Nigeria with a view to arriving at a holistic and sustainable solution, to provide a platform for networking, linkages and collaboration among TVET stakeholders and practitioner.”
In view of the imperative of the workshop, arrangement has been made for TVET institutions across the 6 geo-political zones to exhibit their products and innovations.
This is an attempt to walk the talk by showcasing the capabilities and possibilities that already exist within our technical colleges. I encourage participants to feel free to interact with the exhibitors with a view to forging mutually rewarding collaborations with them.
“The significance of TVET cannot be over-emphasised. Hence, the need to continuously engage it to drive development. The focus of TVET on practical skills distinguishes it as an education that not only prepares students for the global stage but also fosters better relationships between and/or among all involved.
“This thus sets the stage for collaboration, which is an essential ingredient of sustainable development in the 21st Century. Given the importance of TVET, I want to urge all stakeholders to treat this workshop with the seriousness it requires so as to come up with resolutions that will move our country closer to the desired destination in terms of wealth creation and gainful employment.
In a remark, the Zonal Coordinator of National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), South-West Zonal Office, Lagos, Mrs. MaryAnne Ngozi Onyejekwe, Zonal Coordinator of National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), South-West Zonal Office, Lagos, acknowledged that Enugu represents a big part of the Nigerian economy in terms of its coal deposits which fueled the country’s economy during the colonial era.
She however added that today the economy is fraught with several challenges including high youth unemployment, excessive dependence on crude oil, a skewed balance of trades in favour of foreign imports, and general avoidance of locally made products.
She stressed that a major challenge for the country is the development of her capacity to learn, adopt and diffuse existing new knowledge and technologies, adding that it is therefore critical to train and re-train local manpower to fully participate and adequately execute projects and contracts in the country. We must be able to use, not only our heads but also, our hands to do whatever we need to do. Local content development is imperative, she said.
She, added: “TVET offers a lee way for industrialization, a transit from a consumer state to a producer state. TVET, is a critical element of basic education that has the capacity to educate and create jobs for our teeming youths.
“It is a well-placed strategy for equipping our population with practical, modern, occupational and skill-based capacities. This will go a long way in helping the country to create jobs, grow local industries, enhance science, technology and innovation (STI), conserve foreign reserves, encourage SMEs, and improve domestic incomes.
“Globally, TVET is widely recognized as a vital driving force for the socio-economic growth and technological development of nations. That is why I am also delighted with the caliber of facilitators arrayed for this workshop, which is focused on the salient issues of TVET and National Development.
While also making his contributions, the Commissioner, Enugu State Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Obi Kama, advocated that the unemployment menace in the country today is solvable by the deployment of science and technology education.
According to him, the solution now is to get abreast with the Technical and Vocational Training varieties available in contemporary Technical and Vocational Skills acquisition programs.
He said: “This is hence the way to go in salvaging the youths from mass unemployment. This is achievable with reviewing our existing curriculum in Schools towards emphasizing the inculcating of these Trades and Skills for self-reliance.
“The society do not place appropriate importance to these life enhancing specialists such as Web Site Designs, Motor Maintenance, App Development, Building Craft, Shoe Making, Electrical Installation, Hospitality Management Services, Welding and Fabrication, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, Mechanical craft, Computer craft, Catering craft practice, Garment Making, Electronics Works, Furniture Making, Carpentry and joinery and many more.
He commended the Governor of Enugu State has done a lot in the area of Skills acquisition for the Youths, adding: “Currently, he has established TECH HUB Centres at Enugu Urban and Obollo-Afor Centres in addition to heavy provisions in the Technical and Vocational Colleges in the State as well as the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Developments for employment generation and wealth creation in the State. These huge investments have started yielding targeted results.”
According to him, it is expected that the workshop will interrogates the identified challenges and experiences across board and emphasize areas of improvements, in order to redirect our minds to the best practices possible.
Kama, said: “Stakeholders will then find probable solutions and ways to improve on where we are as a country at the moment.
“As new inventions and methodology are coming up progressively, therefore, handlers of these various programs such as Teachers and Trainers should also brace up and fine tune their capacities to be able to make impact on the students and youths of today in line with best practices.”
