Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti

The Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Dr Hephzibah Oladebeye, has urged the Federal Government to focus more on engineering innovations through increased educational research, in its economic diversification programme

Oladebeye, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, said that the nation’s quest for engineering and technological breakthrough could only be achieved if the government devoted at least one per cent of the Gross Domestic Product to engineering and technology.

The FPA rector spoke in Ado Ekiti, in a lecture titled, “Engineering innovations towards sustainable national development in the pre and pro-COVID-19 pandemic era,” which he delivered during the 23rd Prof. E.K. Obiakor Inaugural Lecture series of the institution.

He lauded the Federal Government’s present focus on agriculture, but stressed the need to look beyond it by putting more funds into the educational sector for engineering innovations in order to boost the Nigerian economy.

Oladebeye said, “Diversification of the economy should be with a re-focus towards engineering innovations, which could only be derived from more focused investment in researches into Mathematics, Science and Technology and improved investment in the educational sector in general”.

He advocated necessary recognitions for engineers and other personnel in the engineering profession by patronising indigenous engineers as consultants and contractors for high-level projects instead of engaging foreign contractors.

The rector also harped on the need for synergy between the town and the gown such that it “promotes collaboration and the production of research output with government.”

He also recommended that the focus should be on the promotion of mechanism for the exchange of information and documentation between industries and educational Institutions.

Oladebeye said, “There should also be harmonisation and adoption of laws and practices for the acquisition of technology by way of regulations on intellectual property, foreign direct investment joint ventures licensing, copy technology for adaptation to our local situations.”

He also called for the application of knowledge in all engineering disciplines to the development of social economic sectors, such as transportation, telecommunications, water supply, agriculture, energy, industry, environment, health and biotechnology.