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Minister laments importation of foreigners for Nigeria’s projects

By Abosede Oladepo, Abuja
18 August 2017   |   4:16 am
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has lamented the importation of foreign manpower for most projects in Nigeria as well as the huge appetite for imported products by the citizens.

Ogbonnaya Onu

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has lamented the importation of foreign manpower for most projects in Nigeria as well as the huge appetite for imported products by the citizens.

According to the minister, who addressed a press conference on the country’s new 14-year roadmap for science, technology and innovation yesterday in Abuja, Nigerians are brilliant enough to produce what the nation needs.

He said the first refinery was built in the 60s with foreign manpower, wondering why even the latest one being established by a private company was also towing same path.

Onu said: “The first refinery was built in the 60s. Today we still need foreign input to build a refinery when in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), the school community is building its own refinery. This shouldn’t be the case.”

He stressed that Nigeria does not need to import manpower when local expertise abounds.

The minister noted that the roadmap centres on modular refineries, adding that the nation ought to have halted the importation of refined petroleum products.

“We are hopeful that Nigeria will come up with modular refineries. We should build our refineries and our cities by ourselves without foreign manpower. We must add value to our resources to improve our economy,” he added.

Onu noted that the new document, which spans through 2017 to 2030, would focus on getting the nation to produce for its own consumption and export the excess.

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