FG Inaugurates Committee On Research, Dev’t Draft Bill

The federal government has inaugurated the National Research and
Development Foundation (NRDF) draft executive bill committee, with
a charge on members to propose legislation that will ensure a
robust knowledge economy.

Inaugurating the 11-man committee on Tuesday in Abuja, the
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said the committee, which
is chaired by Prof. Auwal Yadudu, has four weeks to complete its
assignment and produce a report to be considered by the ministry
for “transmission to the Federal Executive Council and expectedly,
the National Assembly, that is to approve the Bill for presidential
assent”.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry
of Education, Mr. Sonny Echono, the minister said the committee
would undertake one of the most important and meaningful
assignments on behalf of the ministry and the country as a
whole.

“The task of preparing a draft Executive Bill is not an ordinary
job. It requires the best to do it and that is why some of our best
and tested lawyers, academics and industry leaders have been called
upon to do this assignment.

“While calling on members of the committee to live up to
expectations in carrying out the assignment, the minister said
boosting efforts in research and development holds the key that
will redefine the nation’s path to a knowledge economy.

“The nation has high expectations from the outcome of your work
because the Federal Ministry of Education has decided to
demonstrate that we house the historically-acknowledged leaders of
research, being the universities, who also with our polytechnics
and colleges of education, hold the task of redefining the path of
Nigeria’s knowledge economy, without which we cannot be competitive
at the global stage.

“It is expected that your committee will fashion out the legal
framework that will define the place of Research and Development
(R&D) as the main parameter for measuring the strength and
sustainability of our GDP, which size adds up to nothing without
injection of knowledge through problem solving research,” the
minister said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman
Bogoro, said the nation’s intellectuals must take up its
responsibility by promoting ideas that would fast-track the
development of Nigeria, particularly in the area of Research and
Development.

“While the military is fighting insecurity and while the
politicians are addressing the larger issues through the
constitutional amendment, we the intellectuals must do the right
thing to remind them that we are there, that we can chart a path
for this nation. That is why we asked you to join us in this
exercise,” he said.

Bogoro, who doubles as the convener of TETFund Research and
Development Standing Committee (RDSC), expressed delight that the
committee would churn out good draft proposals based on the
experience and vast knowledge of its members.

Responding on behalf of the members of the committee, its
chairman, Prof. Yadudu, promised that the assignment would be
carried out with the utmost dedication and seriousness it
deserves.

He commended the education ministry and TETFund for the
confidence reposed in the committee, saying: “We will work together
and hope we will not disappoint based on the trust you have in
us.”

The committee’s terms of reference include to study the master
plan document for the establishment of NRDF in Nigeria with a view
to understanding its content vis-a-vis the committee tasks; to
review the current enabling law (if any) on Research and
Development in Nigeria with a view to proposing a draft legislation
to the National Assembly on the establishment of NRDF.

Others are to propose areas of cross-cutting and cross-sectoral
collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies
(MDAs), the private sector and industry on the establishment of
NRDF and to identify any other salient issue(s) which may be
necessary for the overall success of NRDF in Nigeria.

The committee, whose membership is drawn from TETFund, Ministry
of Education, National Universities Commission and office of the
Secretary to Government of the Federation, among others, has as
members: Prof C.K.C Dakas, Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi, Dr Segun Aina,
Mr. Grace Ekanem, Pascal Eruagha, Emmanuel Akisa, Dr Mustapha
Popoola, two representatives of the office of the Attorney General
of the Federation and Minister of Justice, while Mr. Khalid Abdul
will serve as secretary.

The federal government has inaugurated the National Research and
Development Foundation (NRDF) draft executive bill committee, with
a charge on members to propose legislation that will ensure a
robust knowledge economy.

Inaugurating the 11-man committee on Tuesday in Abuja, the
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said the committee, which
is chaired by Prof. Auwal Yadudu, has four weeks to complete its
assignment and produce a report to be considered by the ministry
for “transmission to the Federal Executive Council and expectedly,
the National Assembly, that is to approve the Bill for presidential
assent”.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry
of Education, Mr. Sonny Echono, the minister said the committee
would undertake one of the most important and meaningful
assignments on behalf of the ministry and the country as a
whole.

“The task of preparing a draft Executive Bill is not an ordinary
job. It requires the best to do it and that is why some of our best
and tested lawyers, academics and industry leaders have been called
upon to do this assignment.

“While calling on members of the committee to live up to
expectations in carrying out the assignment, the minister said
boosting efforts in research and development holds the key that
will redefine the nation’s path to a knowledge economy.

“The nation has high expectations from the outcome of your work
because the Federal Ministry of Education has decided to
demonstrate that we house the historically-acknowledged leaders of
research, being the universities, who also with our polytechnics
and colleges of education, hold the task of redefining the path of
Nigeria’s knowledge economy, without which we cannot be competitive
at the global stage.

“It is expected that your committee will fashion out the legal
framework that will define the place of Research and Development
(R&D) as the main parameter for measuring the strength and
sustainability of our GDP, which size adds up to nothing without
injection of knowledge through problem solving research,” the
minister said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman
Bogoro, said the nation’s intellectuals must take up its
responsibility by promoting ideas that would fast-track the
development of Nigeria, particularly in the area of Research and
Development.

“While the military is fighting insecurity and while the
politicians are addressing the larger issues through the
constitutional amendment, we the intellectuals must do the right
thing to remind them that we are there, that we can chart a path
for this nation. That is why we asked you to join us in this
exercise,” he said.

Bogoro, who doubles as the convener of TETFund Research and
Development Standing Committee (RDSC), expressed delight that the
committee would churn out good draft proposals based on the
experience and vast knowledge of its members.

Responding on behalf of the members of the committee, its
chairman, Prof. Yadudu, promised that the assignment would be
carried out with the utmost dedication and seriousness it
deserves.

He commended the education ministry and TETFund for the
confidence reposed in the committee, saying: “We will work together
and hope we will not disappoint based on the trust you have in
us.”

The committee’s terms of reference include to study the master
plan document for the establishment of NRDF in Nigeria with a view
to understanding its content vis-a-vis the committee tasks; to
review the current enabling law (if any) on Research and
Development in Nigeria with a view to proposing a draft legislation
to the National Assembly on the establishment of NRDF.

Others are to propose areas of cross-cutting and cross-sectoral
collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies
(MDAs), the private sector and industry on the establishment of
NRDF and to identify any other salient issue(s) which may be
necessary for the overall success of NRDF in Nigeria.

The committee, whose membership is drawn from TETFund, Ministry
of Education, National Universities Commission and office of the
Secretary to Government of the Federation, among others, has as
members: Prof C.K.C Dakas, Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi, Dr Segun Aina,
Mr. Grace Ekanem, Pascal Eruagha, Emmanuel Akisa, Dr Mustapha
Popoola, two representatives of the office of the Attorney General
of the Federation and Minister of Justice, while Mr. Khalid Abdul
will serve as secretary.