Concerned Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria rejects Call To Slash NASENI’s Grant
By: Femi Mustapha
The Concerned Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (CCSON) has rejected the Governor’s call to slash the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure {(NASENI) grant.
The group made this known in a statement jointly signed by the President of Unified Nigeria Youth Forum, Comrade Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, the President of Arewa Youth Federation, Comrade Aliyu Moh’d Sani, Comrade Elizabeth L. Uche the Convener, South-East Youths for Sustainable Growth and Development and RT.Hon. Abdul Majeed Oyeniye the Speaker,
Oodau Youth Parliament and made available to Journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday.
“We condemn the call in its entirety, and therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to not only discard the tissue of their counsel in the dustbin of history but conclude plans in ensuring that the grant is increased from the 1% to 2% because NASENI actions towards Science, Innovation, and technology is timely and it will stand the challenge of time, hence the imperative need for the upward review of the grant”.
“Our governors should stop being lazy, always looking at the Federal government, where their help comes from, and begin to look inward to raise funds to run their states. The present turn of events globally, tells us that leadership is for those who can bring something to the table not those who want to reap where they didn’t sow, for instance, the Agency in recent times has helped greatly in developing local capacity and capabilities, which in return has taken us from consumer base economy to knowledge-based innovative and manufacturing economy with significant and visible economy benefits”.
The groups recalled that the governors called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to reduce the percent (1%) Grant legally due for the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure {(NASENI) hereafter refer to as the Agency} to 0.2%. They also called for the Amendment of the Act in 2022 Finance.
“We commend NASENI for Designing First Made in Nigeria Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Helicopter for Agriculture and Security Surveillance, the role they played during the Corona Virus onslaught against humanity in 2020 to date, Bringing Science, Technology, and Innovation closer to the people and making it possible for mechanized Agriculture at our hands”.
“We urged the National Assembly to throw out any bill that is aimed at reducing NASENI’S grant from 1% to 0.2% in appreciation of the agency efforts towards the spate of infrastructure, Digital, and Technological development across the Nation.
The groups also urged President Buhari not to pay attention to the governor’s counsel on this matter, since the Agency has been able to achieve solid and sustainable industrialization of our Country with the current 1%, we, therefore appeal to Concerned Stakeholders to reject the proposal, they said.
