03 September 2013, Abuja – The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, has called for greater emphasis on the use of solar technology as a channel to solve the persistent power problem in the country.
According to him, the power cuts, load shedding, low voltage and insufficiency of the country’s energy requirement can be reduced with greater attention paid to solar energy.
Speaking Monday, in a Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, monitored programme in Abuja, Ewa said solar energy’s abundance, cost effective attribute and cleanliness were aspects that demanded the nation’s attention, if the current power crisis should be addressed.
The minister, who hinted that his ministry had concluded plans to establish a silicone valley at the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), said the aim was to provide the needed technological and scientific requirements of the country.
While adding that job creation and transfer of technology would be available when the Silicon Valley programme comes fully into existence, the minister said those that would partner the programme included the European Union, the Korean Government, Georgia-Tech in United States and others.
Buttressing his point that the country had the means to excel technologically, the minister said the Nigeria Satellite SAT-X was entirely built by Nigerian scientists and engineers in the United Kingdom.
“The 80-hectare of land slated for the knowledge-based valley will have a total technological chain with the government providing the primary infrastructure as a prelude to both local and foreign industrial partners who have shown interest,” he said.
Currently, the SHETSCO has three national advance laboratories in the fields of Biotechnology, chemistry and physics, equipped with state of the art-art facilities.
– Reuben Buhari, Abuja
