Bogoro Urges Tertiary Institutions to Focus on Researches that Promote Devt

Bogoro Urges Tertiary Institutions to Focus on Researches that Promote Devt

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, has challenged tertiary institutions in Nigeria to focus on researches that would proffer solutions to the country’s economic and technological challenges, rather than theoretical researches that ‘have little or no benefit to the people.’

Speaking when he visited the Research and Development Centre of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna yesterday, Bogoro said tertiary institutions must undertake research with outcomes that solve problems of technology, economy and society.

He said the time has come for Nigeria to begin the moves towards self-sufficiency in its weapon production in order to save the future of the country.

The TETFund boss said Nigeria desired to undertake import substitution in respect to weaponry and all other required technologies.

According to him, “Unless we are able to do it ourselves, a time will come where all the countries you import from would no more be interested in exporting to Nigeria.

“That should be better imagined because that means, we will all be in trouble…”

He said his visit to the DICON and AFIT was aimed at partnership in respect to research and development.

Bogoro said: “I have said it uncountable times that the time has come for some of us that are academics not to be limited to theoretical research in the ivory towers and other tertiary institutions such as college of educations and polytechnics.

“We must be seen to undertake research with outcome that solves problems of technology, economy and society, and you cannot do that if you do not go out to know what the industry is doing.”

The TETFund boss commended AFIT and DICON for their technological innovations, saying he was impressed with their innovative technologies.

“At DICON, we saw both the heavy and light weapon technologies

“And in AFIT, we also saw some UAVs and they are multipurpose; one moment they serve the purpose of agriculture, another moment it is weaponry. This is impressive. To me, it represents the future of our country.

“I am so proud of the great generals, the leaders, the scientists, professors as well as experts here,” he said.

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