FG Flags Off Regional Dialogue On Implementation Of Global Competitiveness
Princess-Ekwi Ajide (ABS Abuja Bureau Chief)
The Federal Government has flagged off regional dialogue on the establishment and implementation of technology and innovation centres for global competitiveness and productivity. 
The project titled achieving Nigeria’s Competitiveness and Improved Foreign Exchange Earnings through Science, Technology and Innovation is to be carried out by the Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order NO.5.
The flag off in Abuja started with the North Central Zone and will head to the South East Zone on the 13th of October in Enugu, South West on 27th October to be followed by other zones. 
Flagging off the zonal dialogue, the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikoh, said the Federal Government will establish six Technology, Innovation Centres, TICs, to assist in closing the gap presently existing even though a lot of research is taking place in Nigeria, through the use of Science, Technology and Innovation, STI.
Chief Ikoh represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Monilola Udoh said establishment of the TICs are necessitated by the dire need to close gaps as many research works in Nigeria are happening in silos hence they are needed as part of the requirements for the full implementation of Presidential Executive Order No 005.
According to him, Executive Order No 5 is aimed at placing Nigerian professionals and manufacturers at the centre of the nation’s economy and the order is the sole instrument of the present administration that can midwife a renaissance to transform the economy from resource-based to knowledge-based.
He said the centres would serve as media for the presentation and analysis of research findings and results for possible patenting and commercialisation especially as there is a need to continue to improve on the business, industry and service-driven research and development capacity and capability of the country.
Earlier, the Commissioner , Tertiary Education Science and Technology, Niger State, Professor Abubakar Aliyu lauded the STI initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, as according to him, without STI, Nigeria is dead hence a lot still has to be done while the Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Abuja Regional office, Dr. Dimitri Sanga, represented by the National Professional Officer, Science, UNESCO, Dr. Moma Enan, promised that the organisation is ready to support the Ministry achieve better STI in the country.
The National Coordinator of the Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order No. 5 , Engr. Ibiam Oguejiofor, applauded the contributions of STI as an indispensable part of everyday life saying that it is the only way Nigeria can grow and move from consumption to production, from a resources-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.
