Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that FMSTI will work very closely with the Association of Consultant Engineers of Nigeria (ACEN) in areas of infrastructure and development for easy passage of goods and services in the country.
Onu stated this when the Association for Consulting Engineering of Nigeria (ACEN) paid a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The Minister said that one of the reasons why Executive Order 5 was initiated was to make sure that all Nigerian professionals will not depend on Expatriates rather be expatriates themselves, by leading other countries.
He equally said that the essence of Executive Order 05 is to use our own professionals as our own expatriates in all infrastructural engagements in the country.
He recalled that for the past five years, Nigeria has been leading a very silent revolution, depending on commodities which adversely affected our economy, but incidentally we cannot control the price of our goods in the market.
The Minister said that when Nigeria had her independence, other countries were depending on us. But gradually, those countries have left us to be knowledge dependent economy.
He said that FMSTI has been championing the course to ensure that the economy is dependent on knowledge that is innovation driven and with the support of other ministries we are making progress and the economy is now diversified.
He assured them that FMSTI will support them so as to show the world that Nigeria is aiming to be number one ready to overtake other countries that have left us behind.
Earlier, Engr. Charles Abayomi, who spoke on behalf of the Association president, said that the essence of their visit was to seek active collaboration and partnership with the ministry on their key mandates.
He also used the opportunity to invite the Minister to be a key speaker at their forthcoming conference later in the year.