TETFUND Sec to RSDC: Design agenda to fast-track research process in Nigeria

Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Arch. Sonny Echono has urged the Research and Development Standing Committee (RSDC) to design an agenda that can fast-track the research process in Nigeria.

Echono stated this when he met with the leadership of the committee, led by its chairman, Prof. Anya O. Anya in Abuja on Tuesday.

The RDSC of TETFund is a large group of over 150 members with 13 thematic areas of focus, with the task to fast-track Nigeria’s global competitiveness in product development and service delivery by leveraging innovation systems.

The thematic groups include Agriculture, Environment and Bioresources, Medicine, Energy, Infrastructural Development, Education Pharmaceuticals, and Digital Economy, Petroleum, Fossils Resources, Solid Mineral and Mining, Defence and Military, Governance and Social Development, amongst others.

Speaking, Echono expressed profound gratitude for the services and hard work that has already gone into the project, saying that Nigeria needs urgent steps to come out of its current situation.

He said: “As you will agree with me and so judging from the remarks by the chairman, our job is not done yet, in fact, we are almost still at the beginning and the task is not only significant but urgent.

“We have reached an important milestone in our national development that requires us taking new bearings, changing course, exploring all the alternatives to see how we can lift this country from where we presently are.

“You heard about Dubai but even Qatar is showcasing to the world now, a very small country and the whole of the world is watching and attention is focused on them. We have seen the type of infrastructural development that they have been able to bring to their people.

“No one can doubt the fact that Nigeria has one of the best brains in the world. Having assembled our best and given the dire circumstances and situation that we faced