Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Halilu, has said investing in human capital development and staff motivation remain the best ways to repositioning the agency into a power-house of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at the global scene.
He stated this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of a 5-day training for Information, New Media and Protocol staff of the agency, drawn from the Headquarters and institutes.
The training, which was on New Media and Protocol Strategies for a Modern Government Agency in the 21st Century, held on Monday in Abuja.
Mr. Halilu stated in a release e-signed by NASENI Deputy Director of Information, Mr. Chima Akwaja, that investing in staff training and development was vital for the success of any organisation.
“We are building a new NASENI where one of the overarching goals is to have well trained employees with knowledge and requisite technical, vocational and management skills required for the agency’s growth and technology advancement,” he said.
The NASENI boss said the reorientation would equip the agency to bring to fruition the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration and also the eight priority areas of the administration.
Buttressing the mandate of the agency, the NASENI boss noted that its mission was to drive Nigeria’s rapid industrialisation through the new three Cs- Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation.
He added that in the past four months since he took over the leadership of NASENI, the agency has embarked on new partnerships and collaborations.
Halilu said the partnerships and collaborations were aimed at turning NASENI’s over 150 scientific and technological prototypes, products and intellectual properties rights (IPR) into finished products.
“We have signed multibillion dollars new Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and revived old ones with international technical partners to establish coal-based fertilizer plant, lithium processing and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for agric afforestation, smart solar irrigation, tractor repairs and crop traceability for food security,” he said.
He said the 5-day intensive training programme will enable information and protocol staff of the agency to catch-up with the current trends and international standards required for mastering the intricacies of New Media and Protocol Strategies that would take the agency to greater heights.
“We have assembled about 41 staff responsible for information and protocol activities from our Headquarters and institutes to benefit from this training.
“This training will upskill the crop of staff to communicate our new strategy and partnerships to different publics,” he stated.
Halilu said he was confident that by the end of the training, the staff of Information, Protocol and New Media Unit would be equipped with requisite skills to be at par with their contemporaries in the public and private sectors as well as those in international sphere.
Coordinating Director, Engineering Infrastructure, Professor Bagudu Dansheu Gwadangaji, urged the Information Staff to adapt to new media and protocol strategies to ensure the continued success and relevance of NASENI.
Encouraging the participants, Gwadangaji, represented by Dr. Olayode Olasupo, said: “Your presence at this training signifies not only personal and professional growth but also a collective effort to enhance our capabilities as a forward-thinking government agency.
“I encourage you to actively engage in the sessions, collaborate with your peers, and absorb the wealth of knowledge that this training has to offer.
“The insights gained here will understandably contribute to your skills, allowing you to make valuable contributions to our ICT initiatives.”
Also, Coordinating Director, Science Infrastructure, Professor Umar Ibrahim Gaya, said the theme of the training was timely as it would equip participants with necessary skills and tools to combat fake news which can affect organisations negatively.
“When you talk about NASENI, so many things come to mind. As an agency with first line charge from the Federation Account, there is likely to be fake news out there about us.
“Therefore, this training will help equip the participants to separate information from misinformation and misrepresentation.
“We hope your deliberations will help the EVC/CEO and Management to achieve the agency’s mandate”, Professor Gaya added.
In his welcome address, Director of Information, Protocol and New Media Unit, Mr. Segun Ayeoyenikan, commended the EVC /CEO of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Halilu, for making staff motivation, development and productivity top priorities in his agenda since he assumed the position as EVC/CEO, barely four months ago.
He said in an era defined by rapid advancement, the training was a crucial step towards navigating the complexities of digital age.
Ayeoyenikan added that the new slogan in the media profession and business world is “You either communicate or you are easily forgotten, because of the complexities or sophistication of the society wherein we live today.”
Shedding more light on the training, he said the training for the communication and media arm of the agency, the first of its kind in 33 years, was, indeed, timely with the wave of reforms currently sweeping across the agency with the coming on board of a techpreneur, Mr. Khalil Halilu.
“The Information, New Media and Protocol Department play a critical role of projecting the image, products, mission and vision of the agency amongst its technology end-users and critical stakeholders.
“The EVC/CEO has committed to building a 21st Century institution built on the three core principles of Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation.
“This is guided by a strategic corporate plan which ensures that NASENI’s human and material resources are optimally harnessed with a view to achieving the Federal Government’s industrialisation drive,” he added.
Welcoming the participants to the training, Ayeoyenikan pointed out that the training marked the beginning of a journey towards an enhanced popularisation of digital skills communication and knowledge sharing within the NASENI Headquarters and Institutes’ Information and Protocol, more effectively.
He pointed out that the knowledge acquired from the training promised to reposition NASENI into one of the foremost agencies of the Federal Government.
He therefore called on all the participants to see the training as a call to duty and to ensure use of the opportunity and strive for excellence.
