FG inaugurates 11 man committee on national research bill

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Research and Development Foundation NRDF draft executive bill committee, with a charge on members to propose legislation that will ensure a robust knowledge economy.

Inaugurating the 11-man committee in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for coming up with the NRDF initiative

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Arc Sonny Echono, the Minister said the committee would undertake one of the most important and meaningful assignments on behalf of the ministry and the country as a whole.

“The task of preparing a draft Executive Bill is not an ordinary job.

It requires the best to do it and that is why some of our best and tested lawyers, academics and industry leaders have been called upon to do this assignment”

While calling on members of the committee to live up to expectations in carrying out the assignment, the minister said boosting efforts in research and development holds the key that will redefine the nation’s path to a knowledge economy.

“The nation has high expectations from the outcome of your work because the Federal Ministry of Education has decided to demonstrate that we house the historically-acknowledged leaders of research, being the universities, who also g with our polytechnics and colleges of education, hold the task of redefining the path of Nigeria’s knowledge economy, without which we cannot be competitive at the global stage”

The minister added that the committee, which is chaired by Prof. Auwal Yadudu, has four weeks to complete its assignment and produce a report to be considered by the Ministry for” transmission to the Federal Executive Council and expectedly, the National Assembly, that is to approve the Bill for presidential assent.”

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, said the nation’s intellectuals must take up its responsibility by promoting ideas that would fast-track the development of Nigeria, particularly in the area of Research and Development.

“While the military is fighting insecurity and while the politicians are addressing the larger issues through the constitutional amendment, we the intellectuals must do the right thing to remind them that we are there, that we can chart a path for this nation. That is why we asked you to join us in this exercise,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the members of the committee, its chairman, Prof. Auwal Yadudu, promised that the assignment would be carried out with the utmost dedication and seriousness it deserves.