March 17, 2018

The African Inventors and Innovator Association (AIIA), on Saturday, called for synergy among innovators and scientists in the country to advance Science, Technology and Innovation.

Dr Grace Martins, President of the association, made this call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Martins, also the Director-General of Nature Work International Research Institute, said if all scientists and innovators form a common front, it would help to protect the interest of individual scientists and inventors.

According to her, when all scientists and innovators come under the same umbrella, it will be possible to tackle all the challenges faced by scientists collectively.

“When an individual is talking, it’s not as strong as a situation where a cluster of different inventors, innovators inside and outside Nigeria are talking and making request, it makes a lot of difference.

“A lot of money is being allocated every year for research and development but scientists not under any government’s agency, do not get any thing for research development.

“So, we encourage scientists, innovators and inventors, who are seriously into research and development work, to join us so that a lot of difference can be made in this sector,’’ she said.

According to her, there are many private individual scientists and innovators, who are doing different kinds of research that will benefit humanity that nobody knows about because they do not have the funds.

Martins also urged the government to create more interest in other research associations that are innovative and creating solutions in the area of health and environment.

“Government only pays attention to universities and agencies owned by them.

“Attention should also be given to those stakeholders that are not under their structure or agencies but are doing the job and I can tell you, they are many.

“Like AIIA, we have different departments under its association, different people with different inventions and innovations that will not only save the lives of Nigerians and Africa but can move our economy forward.

“Our association can save the government a lot of foreign exchange if they can give us a platform to show government the solutions created by our members begging for commercialization,’’ she added.

She urged the government to recognise associations like AIIA that could partner with the government to move the nation forward, technologically and scientifically.

The African Inventors, Innovator Association is an association of scientists, innovators, inventors and artists formed in April 2017 to bring them under one umbrella to protect and advance scientific discoveries made in the country.