Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi is the Minister of State for Science and Technology and a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Nasarawa state. In this interview, he speaks on the ongoing activities in his Ministry, ongoing registration in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and why zoning should be considered in the APC. BODE OLAGOKE, reports.
Hon Minister, what is your ministry doing to help the President in the area of governance?
Well, essentially like our mission statement provided, we are to pilot the affairs of the Ministry, align it with the vision of Mr. President and then provide directions in terms of Science, Technology and Innovations (STI). Essentially, it is to provide the bases for Nigeria’s technological advancement within the comity of nation states. Of course, we are aware that from the advent of modern global community that what drives communities is actually science, technology and innovations. So, our mandate essentially is to see what we can do to drive the process, to support the country’s quest for development of science, technology and innovation.
Well, for many years, people have been talking about science and tech as a means of developing the country, the question is why are we not there?
It depends on what you mean by why are we not there because if you look at Nigeria in the 60s and Nigeria today, hopefully, we have made some progress in terms of STI generally. Yes, we are probably not at that level where we can be compared to other countries – Brazil, India, Malaysia or Korea – that we had probably started together. But if you look at the trajectory in terms of growth, we are so much affected by political instability and it has negatively impacted on our ability as a nation to make progress in some of this sphere of life. However, we have been able to make tremendous progress over time in terms of space technology, in terms of biotechnology, in terms of all sorts of STI programs in the country. Let me give one or two examples, it may not clearly be very visible in terms of tangible things because we are most research and development based. A typical example is in the area of biotechnology where the National BioTech Agency (NARDA) has been able to develop some seedling that could support our farmers in terms of more yields, in terms of capacity to withstand pressure from ants, etc. An example is the cotton seed. The essence is to support the textile industry so that they can generate employment in that area. Yes, it may not be tangibly seen but we have made tremendous progress, especially, in research and development (R&D). The challenge that we have is basically about commercialization. Now in other climes, outside the country, what people do is that they look at your research findings, then they look at what they can do to capitalize it. So, once they see it as bankable, they arrange with you and get the patent right, they get the franchise and they commercialize it. Now that process supports the industries, that process generates employment, that process generates wealth and these are the things we are having as challenges in Nigeria. No investor is willing to invest in findings of R&D. Now as government, as a Ministry, all we do is to find the enabling environment, we are not into business, it is for the commercial venture capitalists, it is for the businessmen to say, we like this innovation, we want the patent, we want to invest in it and once they do, that that develops a chain of activities in terms of the economy, in terms of employment, in terms of Industrialization, etc. But we cannot wait for the government to do the policy, the government to do the research and the government to do the investment. Overtime, we understand that the government is a bad investor when it comes to business. So, the best thing is to support the environment in which the individual has to invest, that we have been able to do to a large extent.
Beyond creating an enabling environment, are you saying that there is nothing the Ministry is doing to reach out to banks and investors to invest in STI?
You see, what we do is having Science and Tech Expo every year. What we do in that Expo, essentially, is match-making. We bring our researchers to the Expo, we bring the industry to the Expo and we bring the investors to the Expo. Now, everybody would be there to exhibit what he or she has been able to develop in terms of R&D and it is for the commercial venture captains to look at the possibility of investing in such research findings. The Ministry is there to midwife by bringing all the parties together, the essence is to ensure that they are encouraged – the industries, the banks, the researchers and a host of other people that are related to that venture to see that they develop to a level where they can commercialize, and don’t forget that our eyes are always on the ball. The essence of that commercialization is: 1. To create functional industries in the country that are into production of goods and services, 2. To generate employment to our teeming youth and 3. To generate wealth for the person who is working there, the person who is like a middle man and the value chain itself. That is the essence of what we do. So, to some extent, it is not the fault of the Ministry, our venture capitalists are shy on investing in research findings in Nigeria and that is basically one of our challenges.
Now, beyond the investment challenge as you have just enumerated, what other challenge or challenges is the Ministry facing?
I think the biggest challenge that we are facing is from Nigerians, which is that they are averse to home grown technology and if we don’t patronize our local tech products and we continue to patronize foreign tech products, there is no way we can make progress. So, our major challenge is the attitudinal issue we have with Nigerians when it comes to products that are home grown. Once they see a product – for instance INNOSON motors- that is 70 per cent local content in terms of production, a typical Nigeria will tell you know, no, l don’t need INNOSON, bring Mercedes Benz. So, that attitude must change, we must begin with pride to patronize our own products, that way we can make progress. That is why the President made a case that the Nigerian Army, where possible must patronize INNOSON in terms of procurement of combat vehicles and at the moment we are doing that. The Federal government is ready to encourage home grown technology. Now, in the Nigerian Leather Institute in Zaria, we produce booths for Nigerian Army and Paramilitary and because of Executive Order 5, Nigerian Army is now beginning to patronize these products so that we can support local production of goods and services. So, if we are able to change our attitude and if we are able to comply with the Executive Order of number 5 that emphasizes on local content in terms of service, contract and procurement, then it would not be difficult for us to reach where we want to be in the STI.
Your party, APC is going through a transformation stage giving the nationwide Registration/Revalidation exercise, which some persons have criticized. How would you access the process?
For my own personal assessments and with due respect to other people’s assessments, the exercise is going very smoothly. From the angle of my own state, it’s going on very smoothly and every stakeholder is carried along and it should be expected that programmes such as this is likely to get some controversies in some states where they are factionalised. However, l think that the stakeholders must be able to adopt the spirit of give and take, you mustn’t get everything you want, you must be able to accommodate other tendencies within your own state. So, l think it is necessary that members develop this attitude of accommodating other tendencies that are not likely to be in tune with their own beliefs. But by and large, the story is largely successful.
To what extent do you think that the exercise would strengthen the party?
Well, l think that is even the essence of the registration itself. To ensure that it opens its doors to new members because on daily bases you see defections from other parties to APC. Now it poses a challenge to them because they don’t even have membership, it is closed. So, that is why the opening of registration exercise indeed is very noble, to accommodate other people who are just coming into the party. Now, the advantage you have is that it is like a fresh start so that it can accommodate all tendencies. So, this will enable the party to grow from strength to strength, accommodating both the old and new in a unified struggle to contend this balance of power at the national and state levels. I think it is strengthening the party generally and l hope that we succeed.
I spoke to a former chieftain of the party who said he was there when the constitution of APC was drafted and that zoning was implied. As a chieftain of the party, what is your take on this zoning of presidency causing some kind of disagreements between the North and South?
Well, at the moment i am not privy to the high level discussions in terms of zoning in the party. However, on personal grounds and views, zoning creates some level of accommodation, zoning enables some inclusiveness, zoning allows every region to have a shot at the highest office of the land. So, with all due respect l think zoning will be very accommodating, it will create unity, it will create understanding within the party. But in terms of discussion as to whether there were some arrangements previously, l wasn’t privy to that, l was never part of such discussions and l wouldn’t know anything about that. I think the person who spoke to you might have information that l don’t have and l guess he knows what he is talking about.
In the next 4 months the APC would be going for an elective national convention. What kind of leadership would you suggest for the party?
I think we need a party chairman that has a listening ear, that would be able to talk to all tendencies within the party; that would be able to be a peace maker yet being firm; that would be able to ensure that the party’s principles and its objectives are devoid of rancour. I want a party chairman who tells truth to power. That is the kind of party chairman that l want. So, in essence, we need a broad minded, creative diplomat as much as a firm person as a party chairman going forward.
What do you think about the Caretaker Committee and the way they run the party?
You know the difficulty of governance is that from the outside you look at it as a very simple venture but once you are inside, you get confronted with practical realities of the challenges within a system. Now, l think the Caretaker Committee initially underestimated the challenges within the party and having come face to face with the realities now, they require some level of tinkering in the initial timetable. So, l can understand the justifications in terms of the tinkering of the time table because of the enormity of the challenges that they are facing. So, l think it is to sincerely look at the issues and confront them once and for all before the national convention. So, l support what the Caretaker Committee is doing at the moment.
Some people believe that the level of insecurity in Nigeria is very high. Are you worried as a Minister?
Well, l want to give an answer that my colleague, Chibuke Ameachi gave to Seun of Channels Television, when he was asked about security and he said “i am Minister of Transportation, l am not Minister for security.” I think this question would be rightly answered by my colleagues, the Ministers of Defence and Police Affairs. I don’t want to go beyond my brief as they say in law.
