– Canvasses philanthropic-led research intervention
Oluchi Chibuzor and Jessica Erobomhan
The Science Association of Nigeria (SAN) has urged the federal government to institutionalise certain budgetary allocation for science across all levels of education in the country.
For them, science is the bedrock of development for any serious nation seeking to maximise its coastal cities, public health and social equity in the blue economy.
Speaking at their 58th annual conference held yesterday, the President SAN, Prof. Adeniyi Ogunjobi, called for an increase in the budgetary allocation for science activity and dissemination.
According to him, “Number one is the development of laboratories, science laboratories. There are universities today that their science labs lack glassware. They’re not talking about equipment. When we were in secondary school, some of the glassware I used in secondary school is no longer in the university today.
“Some of the chemicals I used when I was in secondary school in the chemistry laboratory, I can’t find them in the university. Now students pay with their own money to buy chemicals to do their research.
“There are so many professors today who do not have connections outside Nigeria. They don’t have grants. And where they are domiciled here in Nigeria, no grant to support their research.
“They use their personal salary to do research and that should not be. The money they need, they are supposed to use for their own family, are now being used to buy chemicals and to analyse samples in equipment that is not available in the university.
“So, when there is a laboratory equipped with relevant state-of-the-art equipment, the researcher’s mind will be at ease to even do research. A grant to buy research materials is also very important.”
He advocated that the country must abide by the UNESCO standard of funding education in the country.
According to him, “By UNESCO standard, 26 percent of the budget of the country is supposed to be allocated to education. Where you know that education is the bedrock of development. But in our country, we give five percent.
“And we now give a higher percentage to other things that are not relevant, that cannot result in the development of the country. For example, we give a lot of resources, a percentage of national budget to things like supporting people going for pilgrimage in Israel, in Saudi Arabia, and so on and so forth. That should not be part of the budget.
“University in particular. They are not properly funded. It may interest you that there are so many scientists as we speak today that have not been given anything called funds to carry out research.
“The majority of researchers in Nigeria use their personal fund salary. To carry out research. Because they know without publishing, they will be perishing. And so, they use their own personal fund, like the salary, to do research for their personal development, which should not be.”
The Vice President, SAN, Prof. Maryan Aminu, stressed the need to cascade science down to young people and more private organisation to support in commercilaising research in the country.
“In some country, organisations and industries sponsor research. So, government should give the leverage to ensure that industries, companies, philanthropies, support particular research in the institutions. So, that when the research is developed, they then commercialise it. Which will be to the advantage of the country and to the benefit of the researcher.”
On his part, the Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the scientists must constantly raise their voice through facts and figures to help the government develop implementable policy plans and programmes in the face of climate issues.
He noted that the event themed, ‘Science, Coastal Cities, Public Health, And Social Equality in the Blue Economy’ represents far more than ocean, ports and fisheries.
“To achieve this, science must remain the foundation of every decision we make regarding our ocean and coastal environment. Scientific research enables us to understand changing sea levels, coastal erosion patterns, ocean temperatures and marine ecosystems.
“Above all, it provides the evidence necessary for governments to design policies and prepare for future risk through facts and figures,” he said.
