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Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has tasked the President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, to work harder in solving the developmental challenges facing Africa.
When the AfDB Technical Mission on Nigeria Country Strategy Paper paid him a courtesy visit yesterday in Abuja, Onu commended the bank’s president for successfully paddling the affairs of the organisation.
He bemoaned the fate of Africa, a continent bedevilled by hunger, poverty and diseases, adding that this must not be allowed to continue.
According to the minister, it is high time Africa utilised her enormous resources through science and technology to develop.
“The scenario of African youths struggling desperately to cross the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert to reach Europe is a sad reminder of the state of things in Africa.
“The bad trend can only be arrested with the application of science, technology and innovation to convert Africa’s enormous resources into products and services to meet the needs of the people,” Onu said.
The new Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2030 of the federal government recognises science, technology and innovation as crucial in driving all sectors of the economy, he added.
He charged the AfDB delegation to continue to work very hard for the development of Africa, adding that the Ministry of Science and Technology would work closely with the bank to develop the Country Strategy Paper 2020-2024.
Earlier, the Country Operations Manager of AfDB, Dodji Zankili, had said the visit was part of a consultative process to seek the input that would guide the implementation of Nigeria Country Strategic Paper 2020-2004 as it relates to science and technology.
The last Country Strategy Paper 2013-2019, according to him, will expire this year.