NASRDA Urges Onu To Implement Agency’s Road Map

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), has urged the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu to push for the implementation of the agency’s 25 years Road map.

Acting Director-General of NASRDA, Mr Jonathan Angulu who made the appeal in an interview with the PRREMIER NEWS  on Thursday in Abuja hailed the return of Onu to the science and technology sector.

NASRDA Head of Media and Communications, Dr Felix Alle, who spoke on behalf of Angulu said the roadmap is critical to the realisation of the national goals on space development.

The acting director general identified the agency’s 25 years roadmap-2005 to 2030- to include building indigenous competence, designing and building’s appropriate hardware and software in space technology as a tool for socio-economic development.

“The development of any nation depends greatly on the ability to advance science and technology, harness the benefits of space technology.

“The space agency has a 25 years roadmap and we have already spent 15 years and we need funding to implement it urgently.

“The minister already knows the major challenges of the space agency which are; funding, completion and integration of the Assemblage Testing Centre.

“We are hoping that the minister with his return will push for ways to enable the agency implement this roadmap,” he said.

He added that completion of the agency’s assembly lab will also encourage space business ventures with other African countries.

Angulu said that President Muhammadu Buhari had put a round peg in a round hole with the appointment of Onu.

“Onu is the appropriate person for the Ministry of Science and Technology because he is a frontline scientist,’’ he said.

He reiterated that Onu understood the role science and technology play in the development of any nation.

“The reappointment of Dr Ogbonnaya Onu will enable him consolidate on the achievements he recorded in the immediate past dispensation and also come up with other projects that can advance the sector.

He expressed the hope that the minister will give the science and technology sector its pride of place in the comity of nations.