AFI seeks partnership with Anambra govt on research, innovation
By Gabriel Chy Alonta
Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI), a non-partisan group of academics in Nigeria, is seeking partnership with the new Governor Charles Soludo-led administration in Anambra State to solve myriad of problems facing the state through robust research and innovation.
The group disclosed this last Wednesday in a communiqué made available to newsmen at the end of its monthly meeting in Awka, the Anambra state capital. The communiqué was signed by the AFI National Coordinator, Dr. Chinedu Onyeizugbe and Secretary of the Anambra State Chapter of AFI, Engr. Dr. John Paul Iloh.
According to the group, through adequate research, there will be available data and evidence to implement policies that would be beneficial to the state.
The communiqué reads in part, “the proposed areas of partnership with the government include but not limited to supporting various sectors of the state’s economy through relevant researches; Providing technical assistance to the relevant government agencies whenever and wherever necessary; Assembling research teams to carry out specific studies as may be requested by the state government or its agencies especially in critical sectors such as education, health, agriculture, technology, power, environment, housing, roads and security.
“Others are, creating the right avenues for deploying the research outputs from tertiary institutions in the state towards addressing the real development needs of the state; Identifying key development and governance challenges of the state and tackling them through measurable scientific approaches, as well as working closely with relevant ministries (especially Ministries of Education, Power and Science & Technology), towards developing sustainable indigenous technologies for driving robust economic development in the state”.
Speaking on the sidelines of AFI institutional coordinators meeting, Dr. Onyeizugbe, commended Prof. Soludo for nominating seasoned academics into his proposed cabinet. He said, “Prof. Soludo is a world class scholar who has reached enviable height in his career as academic and public servant early in life, and understands exactly how resourceful academics can be in contributing towards developing Anambra state.
The national coordinator, therefore, called on the nominees to remain good ambassadors of the academic profession and wished them success in the forthcoming screening/confirmation exercise by the Anambra State House of Assembly, while reassuring that AFI would continue to support the cabinet throughout Prof. Soludo’s administration.
Dr. Iloh, had, on behalf of the AFI, Anambra state chapter, lauded Governor Soludo’s inclusion of AFI national coordinator, Dr. Onyeizugbe among the 80-man Transition Committee that prepared the grounds for seamless assumption of office by Prof. Soludo, which, according to him, resulted in the eventual hitting of the ground running from day one as promised during the campaign period.
“This gesture simply acknowledges the fact that His Excellency, Governor Soludo recognizes the important contributions of AFI towards ensuring good governance and accelerated development in our dear state”, he enthused.
Odogwublog reliably learnt that AFI is poised to distance itself from the regular and traditional praise-singers, and has positioned itself to strategically engage with various organs of the current administration to deliver good governance to the people of the state.
Other AFI members present at the institutional coordinators meeting were Prof. Nneka Nnorom of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Prof. Ogochukwu Ifeka of COOU, Dr. Tochukwu Oguegbe of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Mr. Ugochukwu Odunze of Unizik, Mr. Gabriel Alonta of Unizik, Dr. Osita Okoye of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Agajelu Nweze of Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, and Mr. Emmanuel Agulue of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, among others.
