By Eberechi Obinagwam
the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), representing the interests of researchers in Federal Research and Development Institutions (RDIs), Colleges of Agriculture and Forestry, Allied Institutions and Centres, has stated that the neglect of research, science and technology is the reason for insecurity in Nigeria.
The union speaking through its secretary general, Theophilus Ndubuaku said after extensive deliberations on the socio-economic situation in Nigeria, it concluded that the neglect of research and Science and Technology (S&T) by successive Nigerian governments since independence is the underlying reason for the challenges of insecurity and other national malaise which are currently threatening to dismember the fabric of the Nigerian nation thereby pushing the nation to the brink of a failed state.
He said it is noteworthy that the National Policy on Science and Technology (NPST) was initiated since 1966 and has been revised not less than 13 times since then without the political will to implement it until January 7, 2016, when President Buhari inaugurated the NRIC which is the main impetus of the NPST.
To complement the inauguration by the President, he said that 50 Senators co-sponsored the NRIC Bill, which is almost a verbatim adaptation of the 2012 version of the NPST, to provide the enabling statute for the Council.
Also, he said that three consecutive meetings of the Governing Board of NRIC have been held with President Buhari, who is the statutory Chairman, presiding.
While inaugurating the NRIC the President expressed the hope of Nigeria producing Nobel Laureates in the sciences with the establishment of the Council.
He added that many current technologically-advanced and rich nations such as China, India, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia initiated similar policies at about the same time but they were consistent with the implementation.
Ndubuaku disclosed that at independence, the Nigerian economy was far better than those of some of these nations but we have transformed from net exporter to importer of goods and services from them.
“It is stated in the National Policy on Science and Technology of Nigeria, 1986 that “Science and Technology have been the critical instruments used to uplift the economy of any country…The springboard of Science and Technology is Research…
“ASURI is very explicitly conscious of the enormous economic potentials of Nigeria. We assert the incontestable fact that Nigeria is either second to none or maybe to the USA in terms of diversity, quantity and quality of human and natural resources. Given the abundance of God’s blessings, with minimal occurrences of natural disasters, Nigeria should be among the richest nations in the world,” he said
According to him, though Nigeria has been designated as the current poverty capital of the world, ASURI remains confident that establishing the NRIC is the key to making our nation great again.
“Our nation is currently bedevilled by the high unemployment rate, mass poverty and hunger, resulting in insecurity, insurgency, assassinations, ritual killings, cybercrime, kidnapping, prostitution, human trafficking and slavery, emigration, maternal and child mortality and life expectancy of 54.5 years (lowest in West Africa). Our inference is corroborated by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Deng Boqing. “
He stated that the Premium Times on 14th November 2013 reported the Ambassador as calling on Nigeria to address the root causes of insecurity such as poverty and under-development to ensure peace and stability in the country and not to rely on the military solution alone in the fight against insurgency in the country.
“Nigeria unbelievably operates close to zero budgetary allocation to research. In most of the over 150 Nigerian Research and Development Institutions (RDIs) and centres, research and training activities are self-funded by researchers because they must acquire higher degrees and produce research publications before they can be promoted at every stage of their careers.
“Consequently, Nigerian career researchers are the poorest cadre of public servants as they must devote over half of their salaries for research if they must advance in their profession,” he stated.
He also stated that the NRIC Bill 2018 provides for the institutional research and training funding mechanism and infrastructural development for RDIs in Nigeria.
He appealed to Mr President to give his assent to this all-important Bill. “The current status of the NRIC (Establishment) Bill, 2019 is that it was passed by the National Assembly last year but was returned to it by Mr President, citing some grey areas.
“The Bill has now been rectified and passed again by the National Assembly to be re-presented to Mr President for his assent.
“We would like you to note that the NRIC Bill is a component of the agreement reached by the FGN/Organized Labour 16-Man Technical Committee on Minimum Wage
“We appeal to Mr.President to give his assent to this all-important bill,” he said.