BY DWELLETH DANIEL
The CEO of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim, has described the Executive Order No.5 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari , in 2018 as a revolution that will bring about the much need impetus that will transform the country’s human capacity into productive hub of global enterprise.
He said the Order which seeks to give preference to Nigerian professionals in the execution of contracts and projects in science, engineering and technology will gradually develop the capacity of Nigerians.
Mr. Solomon Nshem, Head, Public Relations of NOTAP, in a statement made available to the media on Thursday, quoted the CEO as making the disclosure when he paid a courtesy visit to the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), headed by Mr. Akinloye Oyegbola, in Lagos.
“I call it a revolution because priority is now to be given Nigerian professionals in the award of contracts and projects even if they are competing with a foreigner. As long as the Nigerian is qualified, he will have an edge over the foreigner. It is a revolution that you don’t need to carry a gun but gradually develop the capacity of Nigerians and reduce the shackles of dependence on foreigners” he stated.
Ibrahim, disclosed that the visit to APBN is to inform the association about the Order which is intended to involve Nigerian Professionals in the planning and execution of contracts that are hitherto handled by foreigners and solicited the cooperation of the Association, being the umbrella body of professional bodies in Nigeria, in developing a robust database of Nigerian Professionals.
He said the Association is in a vantage position to encourage members to visit NOTAP website to register or provide NOTAP with details of Professionals in Nigeria to enable the Office develop a robust database that will assist the government in reducing the dependence on foreigners in the execution of contracts and projects.
The disclosed that NOTAP has developed forms on its website for Nigerian Professionals to fill and register and has started the registration process with professional bodies like the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) and Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS). He added that NOTAP is developing the database on a sectoral basis in order to have a comprehensive database of Nigerian Professionals.
In a remark, Oyegbola said the association was founded in 1983 because of the need for a common platform for Professionals to speak with one voice and has membership strength of 30 bodies.
He said the association is purely for the advancement of professionalism with core values as integrity, accountability and best practice.
He expressed delight that with the visit of NOTAP to the Association, at least someone is thinking about Nigerian Professionals. He opined that it is the professionals of a nation that will develop that nation.
Oyegbola said the cooperation NOTAP is seeking from the Association is what the Association is also seeking which makes the visit of NOTAP to APBN timely and agreed with NOTAPs position for the development of a robust database of Nigerian Professionals.
The Executive Order No.5 which is an official gazette mandates NOTAP to develop, maintain and regularly update a database of Nigerians with expertise in science, engineering, technology and other fields of expertise.
The Order also mandates the Ministry of Interior to take into consideration the manpower database of NOTAP, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, in determining the availability of local skilled manpower in science, technology and innovation for the grant of expatriate quota.