Buhari urges universities to invest in research

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Nigerian universities to invest more resources in research work to build manpower and human capital.

President Buhari who spoke through the Minister of  State for Education, Professor Anthony Onwukah at the 32nd convocation of University of Port Harcourt, in Port Harcourt on Saturday said  that Federal Government is working very hard to attend best International practice in the education sector.

He said “In this day and age research that cannot be capitalize by the industry for the benefit of the people is as good as mere academic exercise.

I wish to appeal to Lecturers who are still on the old idea of publish or perish to repeal their position, in the new economy, the slogan should be, publish, patent and produce, which enrich Universities and societies in other parts of the world.

“It is time for the university managements to change the narrative if the hope to remain relevant in the scheme of things, and also the issue of restructuring the curricular to bring them in line with the contemporary trends in other parts of the world.

“It is time for universities to join forces with reputable industry players to frame research topics that can solve the numerous problems which besiege the industries, for which these industries goes to seek answers abroad, creating jobs for people in those countries, which is an indictment in the research capabilities of the universities in Nigeria, that industries here continues to patronise their foreign counterparts for solution to their operational and logistics problems.”