The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says the ministry is determined to provide electricity and water supply equipment to boost amenities in University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
The information is in a statement issued on Wednesday by Mr AbdulGaniyu Aminu, the Head of Public Relations in the ministry.
Aminu stated that Onu made the disclosure when a team from UNIPORT paid a courtesy visit to the
minister recently in his office.
He quoted the minister as saying: “The Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to support tertiary institutions, research institutes
and the informal sector in their innovation drive.
“I call on research institutes to convert research results into products to stop massive importation into the country.
“Universities play very important roles in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).”
Onu added that such effort would boost basic amenity needs in institutions.
He disclosed that the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), an agency under the ministry,
was working on reverse engineering, to ensure that product analysis were done in the country by providing good laboratories.
Reverse engineering, also called back engineering, is the process by which a man-made object is deconstructed to reveal its
designs, architecture, or to extract knowledge from the object; similar to scientific research.
“The difference is that scientific research is about a natural phenomenon. Reverse engineering is applicable in the fields of
mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, software engineering, chemical engineering and systems biology,’’ he explained.
Prof. Mvendaiga Jibo, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of UNIPORT, who led the team, commended
Onu’s effort in solving the electricity and water needs of the university.
He commended the minister as one of the pioneer Head of Department of Chemical Engineering of UNIPORT for laying a solid foundation.
Jibo added that Onu had indicated clear commitment to unity of the country.
