Achieving sustainable development: Onu urges focus on STI

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, on Tuesday in Abuja called on African countries to focus on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to ensure faster and sustainable development.

Mr AbdulGaniyu Aminu, Head of Public Relations in the ministry, quoted Onu as saying this when he received the ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture, Prof. Leopoldo Amado.

Onu said there was need for the Economic Committee of West African States (ECOWAS) to harmonise the region’s enormous human capital and natural resources to be economically self-sufficient.

He urged ECOWAS to utilise the opportunity of the forthcoming conference of Ministers of Science and Technology to prioritise STI as a driver of their economies.

The minister commended ECOWAS for the proposed establishment of the West African Academy of Science.

According to him, establishment of the Academy will give Scientists, Engineers and Innovators in the region ample opportunity to exchange ideas on STI to fast-track actualisation of regional growth.

Earlier, Amado said: “STI remains vital to development and is one of the core mandates of ECOWAS as contained in the treaty signed in 2012 by Heads of member states.’’