Tag Archives: Dr Ogbonnaya Onu

Ministry Ready To Grow Economy From Natural Resources – Onu

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The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnanya Onu, on Wednesday, said the ministry would employ technology to harness the nation’s natural resources for growth of the economy.

Onu stated this at a meeting with the Directors in the ministry in Abuja

He said the nation would start producing and exporting instead of importing and consuming.

“We export wood but we import toothpick, we export crude oil but we import petroleum products, we sell our cocoa but we import chocolate into this country, this can be very disturbing”, Onu said.

According to him, the missing link and key the nation needs to open the door of prosperity is science and technology.

“We have all these raw materials, we have human capacity, we have large market, so in terms of growing our economy, reducing poverty, creating jobs, again, science and technology is vital.”

Onu also promised that the ministry would soon start creating weapons that could be of help in to the defence sector to tackle insurgencies.

He said the ministry would collaborate with other ministries to support them, adding that science ministry was related to nearly all other ministries.

Onu said the ministry would also intensify effort to ensure that technology was employed to curb corruption.

He urged all Nigerians to abide by law and appealed to the Permanent Secretary and the directors to work together in order to actualise stated objectives.

The Permanent Secretary, Mrs Habiba Lawal, assured that the staff members were ready to help the ministry to realise its aims in order to uplift the nation.

 

(NAN)

I Will Strive To Be The Best Minister In Buhari’s Cabinet – Onu

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Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the newly sworn-in Minister of Science and Technology, said on Wednesday in Abuja that he would strive to be the best minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.

 

Onu, who spoke on Wednesday night at a reception organised in his honour by Concerned Ebonyi State Indigenes, pledged that he would work assiduously to emerge as the best minister the country ever produced.

 

“One assurance that I will always give you and I have said it repeatedly, is that as your son, I will never do something that you will be ashamed of.

 

“It is better for me to leave politics than for me to do something for my own selfish interest that will make you to be ashamed of your son.

“I will continue to act in a way that Nigerians will know that Ebonyi State is truly the Salt of the Nation.

“I want to assure you that I will make sure that I will be the best minister Nigeria ever had,” he stated.

 

The former governor of old Abia, stressed that no nation had ever attained greatness without science and technology.

“I want you to go home with these words: no nation from the beginning of time has ever become great without embracing science and technology.

“The U.S. is the greatest power in the world; the largest economy, the strongest military and the U.S. has the highest diplomatic potential that she has used in the maintenance of peace all over the world.

“But the U.S. was able, is able and will continue to do so, so long as it is leading in science and technology,’’ the minister noted.

 

Onu said that Nigeria had the potential not just to be one of the 20 leading economies, but one of the 10 leading economies.

He added: “but we cannot do it without science and technology.’’

 
He recalled that about 23 years ago, he started the Technology Village Project in Abia which was disrupted as a result of military intervention.

 

“Science and technology will take Nigeria to a height unimagined today; we will do our best to be the instruments that Nigeria will use to get to that height. And I need your prayers; I need your support.’’

 

Dr Paul Okorie, a former Commissioner of Works in Ebonyi, said Buhari made the right choice in appointing Onu a minister.

He urged Onu to be a key player in Buhari’s desire to ensure uninterrupted power and reform of the electoral system.

 

 

The former commissioner stressed that the reform of the electoral system was very import as the people’s votes would count, leading to the emergence of truly elected leaders.

Chief Austine Edeze, a member of APC Board of Trustees, also commended the president for appointing Onu as a minister.

Edeze, who is also the spokesman for the organisers, said that Onu was a consistent politician and gave assurance that he would deliver.

 

“We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for finding our son and leader worthy to serve at this period. We assure him that Onu is a man he can trust to deliver.’’

 

Mr Magnus Eze, National Coordinator, Ebonyi Professionals Forum, said Onu’s love to serve Nigeria had never been swayed by “bread and butter” politics.

 

“Dr Onu is an embodiment of humility, resilience, integrity, discipline and wisdom – key qualities that will help Mr President, change Nigeria for the better,’’ he said.

 

(NAN)