Dr Adeleke Mamora, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), has urged the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), to ensure it remains consistent towards space science technology development.
Mamora made the call on Wednesday at the ongoing STI Expo in Abuja with the theme “Actualising Effective Diversification of the Nigerian Economy Through Science, Technology and Innovation’’.
The expo consists of agencies of government under the ministry, tertiary institutions of Research and Development (R&D) and Technology and private technology organisations, among others.
The expo, being an annual event of the ministry, is designed to showcase technological initiatives across the country, among other objectives.
“There is no doubt that NASRDA has been very instrumental in the areas of security, you have partnered with security agencies to address insecurity in the country.
“It is important that you sustain the momentum in that area, in other areas using space technology because the reward for hard work is more work,’’ Mamora said.
He also encouraged the agency to ensure that the motive behind establishing the STI Television domiciled in its premises was achieved.
According to him, there is the need to leverage STI TV to tell the success story in the STI sector, as well as educate, entertain and inform the public.
The Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Halilu Shaba, said the agency had made remarkable difference from the wares the agency presented in previous expo.
Shaba also said that with some of the wares the agency has, the government will save money.
“One of the crises in Nigeria R&D is consistency, we have remained consistent compared to what we brought last year.
“The automated system we have initially, we are now trying to miniaturise it, it is more efficient, and we have engaged a marketing concept in developing some of these things.
“Now we are working in the areas of packaging, we also have a new telescope which we made for students, we don’t want Nigerians to buy telescopes from anywhere again.
“Some of these products we have on display, if they were to be bought by the government it will cost more but we have reduced capital flight,’’ he said.
Shaba further said that the agency was working in the area of irrigation to help boost agriculture in terms of water usage and other areas.
According to him, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has for the past eight years been investing to improve agriculture, while NASRDA is also making conscious efforts to move towards smart agriculture.
Shaba added that with the human capacity in the agency, it had developed courses around Space Science technology, as such students interested in studying space related courses can be admitted.
The D-G said that they were opening up opportunities for interested partners to work with the agency and ensure that its mandate of addressing socio-economic challenges of the nation through space science technology was achieved.