Maduka Nweke
The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology has urged the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), to end incessant building collapses and grow the country through research innovations.
The Committee speaking through its Chairman, Beni Lar, during an oversight function visit to NBRRI on Wednesday, in Ota, Ogun State, said the efforts of the Institute in that direction will be appreciated.
The committee noted that NBRRI was well positioned to provide the nation with technological researches/innovations on buildings to end the incidence of building collapses in the country.
According to Lar, the Committee was in the Institute to find out information about; general implementation Level of 2018 Appropriation for the NBRRI; expenditure warrant for Personnel, overhead and capital, and total amount cash backed for the said subheads and period; percentage implementation of all projects.
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Other things it wants to find include; internal revenue generation of the agency, if any; any on-going projects and level of implementation; and the personnel emolument payroll.
She said the visit provides opportunity for the committee to interact and cross-fertilise ideas with the agency regarding its challenges and constraints with a view to charting a sustainable road map for the development of the institute.
“The intention is to use the opportunity to oversight activities of the institute in respect of the 2018 budget implementation as it concerns recurrent and capital releases/implementation thereto.
“Judging from the 2017 oversight visit to your agency, the committee commended the giant strides achieved by the institute in the area of converting waste to wealth as epitomised by the development of Pozzolana Pilot Cement Plant products.
“The economic landscape of the world is undergoing remarkable changes, which is creating considerable opportunities and new challenges through science and technology. As a nation, we have all it takes to enter into the arena of the global community dominated by a deluge of innovations in science and technology.
“Considering the rich human and material resources of the nation, what we need to keep at par with the international community is to set our priority right, by recognising the place of science and technology and its integration in our national life,” she said.
Lar reiterated the commitment of the committee to continue collaborating with the professionals in the built environment, urging NBRRI to enhance its activities and productivity.
Earlier, Prof. Danladi Matawal, the Director-General of NBRRI, appealed for the review and speed passage of the NBRRI Act before the National Assembly, saying that it was the only flagship project initiated by the Institute.
Matawal stressed the need for the committee to approve the 2019 Research Institute Game programme. He assured the Committee of the agency’s commitment towards development of research innovations that would enhance development of the building industry and economic growth of the country.