Minister Harps On Importance Of Technology

The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, has urged Nigerians to use technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) as tools for achieving rapid industrialisation.

Ewa made the call at the commemoration of the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property, organised by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) in Abuja, recently.

Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Rabi Jimeta, the minister said technology and intellectual property had been recognised as the most important factors in nation building and wealth creation.

“Nigerians should endeavour to use these two essential tools to work toward achieving the millennium development goals and national transformation agenda.’’

Ewa said the ministry had taken some bold initiatives through NOTAP to promote technology and IPR culture among Nigerians.

These initiatives, according to him, include the establishment of Intellectual Property and Technology Uffice across higher and research institutions and assisting indigenous researchers to patent inventions.

“Patent application submitted to NOTAP are substantively evaluated and forwarded to the Ministry of Commerce for consideration and issuance of patents.

“So far, about 358 patent applications have been submitted to NOTAP, 144 filed at Patent Office and 79 granted.’’

Ewa also said that NOTAP collaborated with Nigerian National Merit Award and the Federal and State Ministries of Education.

He said the aim was to develop the innovation and intellectual capacity of Nigerian youths.

The Director- General of NOTAP, Dr Bindir Umar, said the office also collaborates with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) to promote innovation among secondary school students.

Umar said that each of the agencies had approved over two million naira to support some secondary school students in FCT to develop their innovations.

He said the money would be made available to the benefitting schools within the next two weeks.