By Samuel
Oyejola
A University don and the Commissioner for Higher Education in Borno state, Prof. Isa Marte has described the interest of the government in research and development as poor.
He lamented that Nigeria spend less than 1 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on Research and Development while countries like the United States spend billions of dollars.
Marte pointed out that Nigeria’s penchant for imported and finished products is adversely affecting R&D in the country.
He decried this attitude at the launch of the Africa Science Literacy Network and the workshop on Science Communication and Science Journalism.
“Here in Nigeria, what we are interested in is finished products. Neither the government nor TETFUND,” he lamented.
He advised that to improve R&D in Nigeria all stakeholders must be truthful about the situation while government must provide adequate fund for R&D.
The Science Communication and Journalism Workshop was organized by TReND in collaboration and support from University of Sussex, Welcome, and The Francis Crick Institute.
The TReND Outreach Director, Mahmoud Maina, explained that the workshop was organized to correct the high level public misconceptions about science in Nigeria.
He also expressed confidence that partnership between scientists and journalists will help in tackling misconceptions about science in the country.
“Scientists and journalists share many things in common; both have a great enthusiasm to reveal new knowledge that can be shared with others to enhance livelihood and better our societies,” he said.
The workshop brought together 70 scientists and journalists across the country for a two days workshop on science communication and journals.