TETFund boss tasks academics on solution-based research | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
10th December 2020
The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Suleiman Bogoro has charged academics in Nigeria to brace up and stop theoretical researches that are not proffering solutions to the Nation’s economic and technological challenges.
The TETFund boss stated this on Thursday when he visited the Research and Development Centre of the Defence Industries Corporation Of Nigeria (DICON) in Kaduna.
Professor Bogoro said that, “It is time for Nigeria to begin moves towards self sufficiency in its weapon production, to save the future of the country.
The TETFund Boss who also visited Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna, said it is Nigeria’s desire and hope to undertake import substitution in respect of weaponry and all other required technologies.
“It is our desire and hope that we undertake import substitution in respect of weaponry and all those technologies that we need,” he stated.
Bogoro noted that “Unless we are able to do it ourselves, It will come to a point where all the countries you import from would say they are no more exporting to Nigeria.
“It is better imagine, because that means, we will all be in trouble, God forbid.”
He had visited Defence Industries Corporation Of Nigeria (DICON), Airforce Institute Of Technology (AFIT) also proceeded to the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji in Kaduna.
He disclosed that the TETFund was visiting to both DICON and AFIT is an exploratory tour for the purpose of partnership in respect of Research and Development.
According to him, “I have said it uncountable times that time has come that we cannot sit down, for some of us that are academics, and be doing theoretical research in the four walls of the ivory towers and other tertiary institutions such as college of educations and polytechnics.
He advised that “We must be seen to undertake research with outcome that solve problems of technology, economy and society overall and you cannot do that if you do not go out to know what the industry is doing.
“For AFIT, it is a training ground, producing people with capacity to produce innovative technologies and we saw what they do at DICON too, combined, I am impressed. At DICON, we saw both the heavy and light weapon technologies.”
“And here in AFIT, we saw some UAVs and they are multipurpose; one moment they serve the purpose of agriculture, another moment is weaponry. This is impressive. To me it represents the future of our country.”
Impressed with the tour, the TETFund boss said, “I am so proud of the great generals, the leaders, the scientists and professors and experts here”.
EduCeleb.com earlier reported that higher education funding agency has so far received N251 billion in 2020 to execute various projects and programmes.