Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Halilu, has restated the commitment of the agency to the priorities of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He therefore charged the management staff of the agency to put forward ideas on how NASENI can effectively support the priorities, including large-scale switching of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to alternative fuels to reduce the cost of living for Nigerians.
He stated when he received briefings from the Managing Directors of 10 of the agency’s development institutes.
The development institutes are situated in Enugu, Minna, Awka, Okene, Nnewi, Kano, Jalingo, Akure, Ilesa and Nasarawa.
This was contained in a press release, today, by NASENI Director of Information, Mr. Segun Ayeoyenikan.
Halilu stated: “Our institutes are the engines of NASENI’s innovation and these briefings by each institute are critical as we work together to craft the future of NASENI, as it relates to delivering on the president’s socio-economic agenda.”
In addition to the Managing Directors, Team Leads of various NASENI projects, as well as the agency’s Research Directors, also made presentations to the EVC on their various projects and efforts.
The briefings, which commenced last week Monday, are taking place ahead of the EVC’s planned tour of NASENI facilities across the institutes scheduled to commence in October.
Also last Tuesday, the NASENI EVC/CEO inaugurated a committee to look into staff welfare, as part of steps to fulfilling his pledge to ensure that NASENI becomes “a public sector employer of choice in Nigeria.”
Halilu tasked the committee, made up exclusively of middle-level and junior staff of NASENI, with producing a Human Resources (HR) revamp plan for NASENI.
He said: “Our junior staff are indeed the ones on the front lines of our work, bearing the biggest burdens, and therefore deserving of special attention, support and welfare.”
To round off the week, the EVC/CEO paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, at the ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, last Friday.
The meeting discussed opportunities for collaboration in advancing research in methanol production, lithium mining, and natural medicine.
Commenting on the meeting Halilu said both institutions were “keen to jointly commercialise existing research outputs.
“I have no doubt that NASENI has a strong and committed partner, in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.”
Also on Friday, Halilu met with a young Nigerian innovator based in Maiduguri, Borno State, Mustapha Gajibo.
The young innovator specialises in converting petrol-fired vehicles to use gas and solar energy.
“There’s no limit to what young Nigerians can achieve in science and technology. At NASENI we want to be a part of these inspiring stories from every corner of the country,” the EVC/CEO said.
