ABUJA – Dr Hussaini Ibrahim, the Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has said that the Federal Government remained committed to scientific research and development innovations for the development of the nation.
Ibrahim said this in Abuja during an interview with newsmen.
He said the federal government would also give necessary support for the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises through the cluster programme.
He said government had set aside some fund to support scientific research to enhance the growth of small and medium scale enterprises in the country.
“The council’s cluster programme will help to promote raw materials-based SME cluster programmes for the development and optimal utilisation of raw materials in the country,’’ he said.
Ibrahim said that the council was working to ensure that at least 80 to 90 per cent of raw materials required for production were sourced in the country.
“Already, the federal government has budgeted over N200 billion as fund to accelerate entrepreneurship within the micro-medium and small scale enterprises.
“The SME cluster programme is therefore a leveraging economic force for fast tracking and harnessing scientific research and development innovations and entrepreneurship skills of the SMEs for the development of the nation,’’ Ibrahim said.
The director-general said the cluster project would improve the process of transforming identical resources to value-added marketable products and services that would create employment for youths.
He also said that the programme would generate wealth, enhance socio-economic development and raise the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among other things.