Exhibitors at the ongoing 4th Science and Technology Expo have appealed to the Federal Government to fund their researches to boost the science and technology sector of the country.
The expo is organised by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Education Secretariat, Department of Science and Technology holding from March 13 to March 15.
The theme of this year’s expo is “Technology and Society in the 21ST Century’’.
Some of the exhibitors, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, said they were always invited to the expos to exhibit their innovations and inventions but nothing to show for their efforts.
The exhibitors were therefore appealing to government to provide funds to enable them commercialise their innovations.
Mr Adetuji Kolawole, the Chairman FCT, Chapter of Motor Mechanics and Technicians Association of Nigeria told NAN that the Federal Government could assist its members to develop the car tracking system they invented.
Kolawole said they were a team of professionals that specialises in car tracking system, which could monitor cars with smart phones anywhere and anytime.
“This is something we can produce in our country to reduce the high rate of unemployment in this country.
“ If the government can assist us in providing funds and an enabling environment for us to comfortably produce all these things, it will encourage us a great deal.
“We have written to different agencies under the science and technology ministry, both at the federal and state level, and we are getting good results from them,’’ he said.
Mrs Christiana Okonta, a representative of Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse who showcased portable waste water and management plant using moringa seed, appealed to the government to help showcase the project of the students.
“We appeal to government to showcase our project for Nigerians to see and to commercialise.
“We came together as a team to analysis our country and we discovered that the country was passing through a lot of challenges in the area of epileptic power supply, unemployment, food scarcity and water borne diseases.
“That was why we came out with the project to address some of these challenges.’’
Miss Jessica Njoku of Young Girls Science Club also told NAN that the club was appealing to government to heighten its support in science and technology sector.
Njoku called government to build more science and technical schools in different parts of the country, adding that this would encourage more Nigerian children to take up science and technology.
“Therefore increasing the country’s opportunity to advance in science and technology.
“This is what prompted us to establish the club in to encourage girls in science and technology.’’