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Academic researches should solve local problems – TETFund
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, has called on academics in the country to focus on researches that would solve local problems.
This was as he urged the government to invest more in research, saying it is the way to the future of the country.
Echono made the call on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the 2024 Research and Innovation Fair of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He spoke on the theme: ‘The Rise of Research in Driving Sustainable Development’.
Represented by a former OAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Faborode, the TETFund boss said, “The academics need to work more on products and policies that can impact our lives. Research by itself is not enough. It is when research becomes innovation and products that it can impact the nation.
“Our research must be geared towards solving our local problems in a way that will be compatible with international expectations in terms of quality and meeting the global standard and we must be committed to this.”
Echono called on the government to prioritise investment in research and harness the potential of the youth.
He said, “Research is the only way for us to be able to make progress in this country, not food palliative or protest. Let us harness the huge potential and energy of the youths. Our youths should not use their knowledge for Internet fraud.
“The research fair is a good step because the concern is why our research has not been going out to impact society for sustainable development.
“We are not investing enough in research in Nigeria because we don’t seem to appreciate the value of research. We just believe things happen but development doesn’t happen like that. What we are enjoying today is a product of one research or the other.
“The government must realise that these things have to be funded. If you don’t fund research, you cannot get the products of research and you cannot continue to depend on other countries, otherwise, we will continue to be an import-oriented country and a consumer of innovation and technology and no country can move forward with that.”
In his goodwill message, the Osun State Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, said the state government would leverage research to boost food security in the state.
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Obasanjo narrates how he escaped becoming drug addict
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he almost became a drug addict.
He spoke in Abeokuta over the weekend at the second edition of ‘Fly Above The High’ anti-drug campaign conference organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network.
Obasanjo stated that smoking during his youthful age led to chronic coughing and almost became an addiction.
The former President, while lamenting the increase in drug abuse among Nigerians and other West Africans, urged Nigerian students and young people to refrain from abusing psychoactive drugs, saying that they ruin life rather than enhance it.
“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out.
“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction.
“We found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” Obasanjo said.
He cautioned against stigmatization and urged individuals who are already addicted to psychoactive drugs to get help.
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We saved $20bn after Petrol Subsidy Removal and FX Rate Reforms, Says Finance Minister
Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from petrol subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.
Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.
“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on PMS; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.
“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”
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