The President of the Nigeria Institute of Physics (NIP), Prof. Hyacinth Aboh has called for the proper funding of science and technology for national development.
Aboh in an interview with newsmen said that science was the bedrock of any nation’s development.
According to him, any nation that does not take science seriously will definitely not reach the target it sets for itself in terms of national development.
”I will want science funding to be government priority because most times the emphasis in the country is always politics.
”And you do know that science is the bedrock of the development of any nation; so any nation that neglects or does not take its science seriously, will definitely not reach the target that it set for itself in terms of goals.
”Most countries are now categorised as first or second world and so on and they got to that level because of their proper funding of science and technology, ” he said.
“Nigeria Institute of Physics (NIP) is the association of physicists and those who read related science courses in both private and government sectors as well as the academia”.
Aboh said that NIP was passionate about the country’s development and as such came up with research findings and resolutions for the national development at their annual conference.
“In this conference, we normally come out with resolution on how to be part of the national policy on science and technology and its integration in order to contribute our quota to the growth of the country,’’ he said.
He said that the conference would look at how physics as a tool would be used to address the insecurity the in nation.
”Physics will be able to address the insecurity through its involvement in agriculture and also in the provision of power supply in the rural areas.
”Normally, when we organise such a conference, it is supposed to attract those in government saddled with the responsibility of the main theme of the conference.
”The communiqué at the end of the conference will surely be passed to the relevant MDAs with the hope that when they go through it, we could be invited for closer discussion or collaboration or outright implementation of some of the things that we raised.
”It is because we are part and parcel of the Nigerian nation and must contribute to betterment of the country,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the 41st annual conference of NIP will hold on Oct.8 in Nassarawa State with the theme: ”Insecurity and Challenges of National Development; Physics as a tool”.
