The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has described nuclear science as very crucial to national development, especially in the area of health, agriculture, security and education.
Onu stated this when members of the African Atomic Energy Liaison Officers paid him a visit in his office Tuesday in Abuja.
He added that, Africa the second largest Continent in the world, needs to pay more attention to the application of science, technology and innovation in order to meet up with other developed countries.
He further said Nigeria is very much interested in nuclear science in tackling some of the challenges facing the country, particularly in the areas of electricity and in the industrialisation drive.
The minister also said his ministry, through some of its policies, is leading the transformation of the country’s economy from commodity to knowledge-base, so as to add value to its natural resources and reduce importation in the country.
Earlier, the Director Technical Cooperation Department of the International Atomic Energy, Vienna Austria, Shaukat Abdulrazak, said nuclear science plays a pivotal role in the development of any nation.
He further added that countries that have advanced globally embrace science, technology and innovation for socio-economic development.
