Reps, Minister, disagree over annual science competition

The implementation of the annual science competition for Nigerian students has drawn a line of disagreement between the minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu,  and Hon. Awaji-Inombek, member of the House of Representatives representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers state.

Dr Onu had informed the House Committee on Science and Technology that the annual Science competition was aimed rewarding students in science and innovation.

However, Hon. Abiante said if the project was actually in existence, then it was being executed in secrecy and therefore cannot be said to have benefited Nigerians especially his constituents.

Although, the Minister took time to explain how the programme works, the law maker asked the Minister to give him the name of one person from his constituency who has benefited from the programme.

Abiante said “Mr. Minister, these things you are saying, are they the things you intend to do or things that you are already doing, because by the special grace of God, I represent two local government and if you can mention just one person from my constituency that has benefited from all that you have said, I will be satisfied.

“All these beautiful and wonderful statements that we all make here yearly have become a ritual that Nigeria should adopt. But right there at the grass root, they don’t exist. If you doubt me, send any of your men.

“I am ready to go back to my constituency just to see one of the things you have mentioned. For the sake of our children, I appeal that whatever we do, we should be very patriotic and be mindful of what we say because, before you know it, you see ENDSARS looking for the things you said you have done”.

Onu explained that “the way the programme runs is that we write to the state government requesting the various local government areas in the state to conduct exams in four subjects of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics and select one person from the local government. We are not involved in the selection process.

“Those people selected from the local government will meet at the state level where an examination is also conducted for them and the best candidate picked and sent to us in Abuja. Those 37 students from the states will also sit for an examination from where we select the best three. We are not even involved in the process of conducting the exams.

“These three students are the ones that will be given award. The President will present the award to them which is government scholarship up to PhD level, but that must be in a Nigerian University. We do not give award to all those who sit for the exams. As Minister, none of the beneficiaries has come from my state of Ebonyi. I have worked with seven Permanent Secretaries and none of the beneficiaries come from their states.”

The lawmaker did not accept the Minister’s explanation and insisted that it was shrouded in secrecy and therefore cannot be said to have taken place, adding that “even the less educated in my village, there is a programme they watch. It is called Cowbell Mathematics competition. It is visible, verifiable and you can see it.

“Minister, I don’t know of any local government area that has conducted any of these exams you are talking about. Andoni is a local government area, Opobo is a local area. For Cowbell, Nigerians sits back in their homes and watch it. They see it. So, if anything is done in secret, I don’t think that thing is done. As far as I am concerned, there is no such activity that has taken place in my constituency. Probably, you can go back and rework the strategy.”

Hon. Lar said “I think what we will do is that the Director will provide the information so that we know what the Ministry is doing. But the Ministry says the state is doing it, and we cannot go without asking any questions. So, don’t be offended. It is just to clarify certain issues. So, let us provide the needed information so that members can be aware. So, having said that, we have to go into Executive session with the Minister”.

Before the holding of the Executive session, Hon. Lar said there should be collaboration between the lawmakers and the Ministry and urged the Director in charge of the project in the Ministry to furnish the House with details of the programme.