The Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Prof. Enefiok Esien, has called on the Federal Government to create more awareness on science toward societal development for all humanity.
Esien made the call in Abuja during the 2018 World Science Day with theme “Science, A Human Right” where he said individuals have the right to participate in research, apart from
just clinic trial participants.
His words; “the public has a role to play in scientific agenda setting and the translation of science into policy and practice. Also, government should initiate programmes to ensure that the benefits of science are equitably distributed.
“Those who have been trained, exposed to and have acquired the knowledge and understanding of new technologies abroad should be enabled to have access to those technologies here in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians and humanity.
“This would also check capital flight, medical tourism and knowledge gap.”
In hid speech at the occasion, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said scientists had contributed greatly in making human rights a reality for all.
According to him, scientists have defended freedom to engage in scientific inquiry and report their findings without interference.
“Scientists have also applied their knowledge and skills to reveal the truth about human rights,” he said.
The minister averred that science had the capacity to drive the economy and change its course from the current resource-based to knowledge-based as encapsulated in the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP) 2017-2020.
He added that the ministry’s Technology and Innovation Expo would hold from Jan. 14, 2019 to Jan. 18, 2019 at the Okpara Square, Enugu.
He explained that the expo would create opportunities for researchers, innovators and investors to dialogue with investors.
“We will, in future, organise these Expos from one zone to the other to enable us to harvest inventions and innovations of Nigerians,” he said.
The National Science Programme Officer, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Dr Osu Otu, called for more African women in science, adding that the gap between male and female participation in science was still high.
According to him, there is need to spend more on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for sustainable growth on the continent.