The Presidential Standing Committee on Inventions and Innovations (PSCII) yesterday awarded grant of N43,500,000, to 121 Nigerians in the informal sector who have distinguished themselves in creativity, inventiveness and innovations.
Presenting the grants, Dr. Ogbonnya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, lauded the inventors for their intellectual prowess and charged the recipients to obtain patent for their inventions as a way of protecting their intellectual property.
“If you have any problem in getting patent for your inventions get back to us, one of the agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology, The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) can assist you.
“The Grant may not be all that you need to improve on your inventions and innovations but is an important recognition of your creativity, hard work and commitment to the realization of a dream that you have lived with for a long time.”
Recall that the federal government had last year released the sum of N70 million to selected innovators under the same PSCII scheme.
Onu said that by transforming ideas into either a product of services in the market place will help to create wealth for both the awardee and the nation, adding that “this is the only way that our nation will become more self-reliant by reducing importation of goods and services from other countries.
He noted that the grant Award Ceremony is very important in creating entrepreneurs, who in turn can create new jobs and businesses and can also help promote economic growth and the diversification of our economy.
Earlier in his welcome remark, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bitru Nabasu said that the PSCII was inaugurated in 2005 by the Federal Republic of Nigeria to encourage and assist indigenous inventors and innovators that have uncommon ingenuity that could have positive impact on the Nigerian economy and Nigerians.
Nabasu, who emphasized the importance of science and technology, pointed out that the greatest economy of the world is largely driven by Science, Technology and Innovation as such Nigeria cannot be left behind.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Prof. Robert Ayayi Boroffice lamented absence of innovation in the Universities and other higher institutions in the country, stating that that Nigerians who are endowed in the kitchen can come up with innovation that can revolutionize the world.
He urged the beneficiary to see the grant as a challenge to workers harder and do more.