By Mohammed Mohammed
The Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, has assured that the new Headquarters of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) will be commissioned before the end of December.
Speaking in a radio programme monitored in Abuja, recently, the Minister however admitted the constraints and limitation of funding, adding, when you are limited with funds that’s not the time you go into frivolous things. So, you must identify priorities.
He said: “Our NOTAP building, I have all the assurances that this building project will be concluded and commissioned before December.”
However, the Minister explained that irrespective of the constraints of funding, setting an agenda before the end of his tenure was on focus to ensure the realization of priority projects.
“We put it to all the heads of the agencies that no more working in sailors, so, we initiated what I called the principles of 5Cs: Co-ordination, Collaboration, Co-operation, Communication, Cordiality.” The Minister said.
On the proposed establishment of a National Innovation Agency (NIA), he noted that such decision will end in the multiplication of duties and is bad for a system that should be collaborative and innovative.
Mamora, said: “Fortunately, I was at the public hearing of this bill, it is already before the national assembly.
“My position is unambiguous, and it is not just my own position, it’s the position of the Ministry and her agencies, particularly the relevant agencies in respect of this particular bill.
“As far as I am concerned, that bill, the intention will be good, but the basis for not supporting that agency is already we have too many agencies and you have not just duplication but multiplication of roles.” Mamora, said.
He insisted that reviewing the existing acts of the current agencies should be focused on and properly funded.