I am highly delighted to welcome you all to the official commissioning of the acquired and renovated North East Zonal Office of FIIRO in Yola, Adamawa State, ‘’the Land of Beauty’’. I would like to specially welcome the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, ably represented by Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye. Thank you for providing enabling environment for us to thrive.
- Also, I would like to personally welcome the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, who despite her tight schedules and short notice made it a point of duty to be with us today. Ma, we are very happy to have you in our midst. I would like to welcome other dignitaries both from the Federal and State levels, Traditional Council and the Organized Private Sector, here present, Directors of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, my abled Management and staff, who made the project a success. You are all welcome.
- It is appropriate to inform that we are vigorously pursuing our broad mandate, which is “accelerating industrialization in Nigeria”and we have over the years developed technologies that promoted the ideals of entrepreneurship development. This prompted us to take development to all the nooks and crannies of the country and that necessitated the establishment of the zonal offices in the country to harness both mineral and human resources for the advancement of our dear nation innovatively. The essence of zonal office is to take development close to the people and also develop some of the untapped resources for the benefit of these zones so as to improve their economic base thereby making them self relient.
- Your Excellences, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is pertinent to state that FIIRO under my watch takes staff welfare as a matter of priority as well as the provision of enabling environment so as to motivate and boost their morale in supporting the Agency to achieve her mandates. We are passionate in providing the needed Research and Development (R&D) products, goods and services, as one of the leading Research Institutes in Nigeria. We are resolute to be at the forefront of the fight against the trio evils of poverty, insecurity and unemployment. We are doing our best in supporting the Federal and State Governments in the country in providing the required platforms for our teeming population to excel through the accelerated impartation of technological, scientific and innovative skills for job creation as well generate wealth geared towards poverty reduction and also fight insecurity. This necessitated us to provide the needed infrastructure for us to leverage on and succeed in our quest to contribute to the development of the nation.
- We are vigorously pursuing our vision and mission which has led to the development of over 250 developed products, goods and services. Many of them have been patented and we are calling on investors and other spirited individuals to invest in them for the purpose of their commercializing for local consumption and export in order to earn foreign exchange. We have used these technologies and innovations developed to train many Nigerians who are doing well in different fields of the Innovation, Science and Technology sector and many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been established in all the six geopolitical zones of the country, where many people are benefiting today. I wish to use this opportunity to call on the Adamawa State Government to support FIIRO in its quest to industrialize the country in patronizing our services for the capacity building of her people, which we believe it will improve the economic activities of the State.
- Your Excellences, invited Guests, it is certain that this infrastructure will enhance our capacity in performing our duties, as we can only flourish in providing modernized, technological and innovative products, goods and services in an environment that is welcoming and friendly. We do this to promote continuous R&D that will support the industrialization of the North East zone with her vast human and natural resources making it one of the most productive and developed regions of the country.
- Distinguished Guests, I am glad to state that our desires for the utilization of indigenous technologies and raw materials have engendered us to develop, commissioned and handed over Modern Integrated Cassava Processing Plants to the communities of Igbara-Oke, Ifedore, Ondo State and Uke, Karu, Nasarawa State on 18/11/23 and 3/2/24, respectively. It is one of the R&D products, goods and services we developed to empower the local farmers in the food value-chain, so as to curtail post-harvest losses for improved economic activities. It is equally important to state that we have commissioned our South West and South East Zonal Offices in Akure, Ondo State, and Enugu, in Enugu State on the 14th and 20th February, 2024, respectively. Today by the grace of God, the North East Zonal Office will be commissioned.
- It is worthy of mention that this edifice would build a seamless operations that would be people centered, oriented and driven by innovation, as well as motivate our staff for self-development, career development and growth, job satisfaction for appropriate service delivery. We are assuring you that this structure will provide the needed technical and administrative services required for the advancement of the country through innovation development and utilization. We have discovered that members of staff give better services in an enabling environment and as an Agency of the Federal Government we are doing our best to see to it that such is provided for them to bring out their best for the betterment of the Nigerian Innovation, Science and Technology ecosystem.
- Your Excellences, invited Guests, it is my singular honour to thank the Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Esuaban Nko Asanye, for creating an enabling environment for the implementation of our ideas and initiatives. I would like to thank the Contractors, Global Firm Nigeria Ltd, as well as the building professionals from FIIRO, who did justice to the structure and bringing it to the level of beauty as can be seen now.
- In conclusion, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, other invited Guests, I wish to once again thank my sister the resilient and dependable Deputy Governor of Adamawa State for gracing this occasion. May God bless you ma. To this end, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, my committed, proactive and diligent team, I welcome you all to this event. May the good lord bless you and grant you journey mercies to your various destinations.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria
(MRS.) JUMMAI T. ADAMU
DIRECTOR-GENERAL/CEO, FIIRO