Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama has called on the Chairman and Members of the Governing Board of the Project Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu, to take the developmental projects of the institute as personal projects by contributing positively towards their realisation.
Speaking when he received Members of the Governing Board of PRODA, led by its Chairman, Engr. Emmanuel Mbaka, on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja recently, the Minister said, ?It is our responsibility to bring PRODA of yesterday to today?s reality of development through personal commitment in the institute?s identified projects?.
He stressed that Science and Technology remained key and strategic to the actualisation of Mr. President?s Transformation Agenda, and also the dream of vision 20:2020, adding that PRODA had a major role to play towards the realisation of this national objective.
The Minister told the Board Members that they should see themselves as members of Mr. President?s team in the task of transforming Nigeria, saying that they were equal to the task in spite of the daunting challenges facing the institute.
On one of the institute?s subsidiaries known as PRODA Commercialisation, the Minister directed the Board to devise workable strategies to link up with industries for the purpose of commercializing PRODA?s Research and Development Products, stating that this would ease the burden and other constraints of the institute.
While commending the laudable strides achieved by the Chairman in the last one year such as the institute?s participation at the Enugu International Trade Fair, and other exhibitions, the Minister called on the Board to step up efforts to achieve greater objectives.
Dr. Bulama, who observed that the relationship between the Board and the Management of PRODA was cordial, said he preferred this to continue so as to achieve greater success. He assured the Board that the Ministry would stand by it, and supports all the members to deliver on their mandate.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Board of PRODA, Engr. Emmanuel Mbaka told the minister that, members of the board came to brief him on the state of affairs in the institute.
The chairman reported that, since the inauguration of the institute on the 10th of October, 2013, it was discovered that PRODA had not featured in any Trade Fair for the past ten years. According to Mbaka, ?The name PRODA previously seemed to be a dead name?, adding that the board wanted to carry out a sensitization programme, so as to showcase the affairs of the institute, but was constrained by lack of funds.
He also disclosed that the board took some giant steps towards repositioning the institute, such as the visit to Gulu where it directed the management to move their Equipment and Ceramics to Emene. Accordingly, the board set up two subsidiaries known as PRODA Commercialisation and PRODA Development for the purpose of injecting new life into the institute.
Engr. Mbaka said the pencil project of the institute would soon be ready for commissioning, stressing that the board lacked funds and logistics to carry out their assignment.
In her remark, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, commended PRODA for showcasing their potential at the recently concluded United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA event.
