A bill for an act to establish the Scientific Council of Nigeria should be developed and sponsored to regulate all scientific researches and applications in the country.
The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Kabiru Bala, made the call when he declared open the 55th Annual Conference of Science Association of Nigeria (SAN) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Tuesday.
Professor Bala, in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Affairs of the University, Malam Auwalu Umar, also said that the association should have representation on the board of government agencies regulating the production, distribution and use of all science-based products in Nigeria.
The VC further suggested that the next SAN conference should bring in more participants from industries, government agencies, private establishments and the international community.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed Doko Ibrahim, the Vice-Chancellor stressed that the need to nurture and create an enabling environment where scientific researches thrived was important in any educational establishment.
He said ABU Zaria has decided to take the lead in matters regarding scientific innovations despite challenges of funding and government bureaucracy.
“Just as few weeks ago, our students excelled as global champions in the recently organised Huawei ICT Global Competition held in China in May this year.
“These students were trained here in ABU, Zaria and not anywhere else. This shows the quantum of scientific knowledge inherent in our own people and what is needed is the will and resources to present them to the world”, he said.
He, however, lamented that the crucial problem being faced in the Nigerian scientific community was the translation of these researches into practicable application
Meanwhile, a former Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Peter A. Okebukola has said the commission introduced the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) to make university education in Nigeria more responsive to the needs of society.
Prof. Okebukola is the Chairman of the NUC Secretary Advisory Committee and Lead Consultant on the project added that the CCMAS was also targeted to address the various insecurities and socio-economic challenges facing the country.
The Keynote Speaker was ably represented by the Dean, Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Kola Lawal.
