….As FMSTI campaigns on Methanol fuel technology
By Ignatius Okorocha
The Federal government has concluded plans to create 40million employment opportunities for the looming unemployed youth in Nigeria through the adoption of methanol production technology.
Making this disclosure on Tuesday at the Sensitization of Public the public on Methanol Fuel production Technology road show at Eagles Square in Abuja, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said his ministry in collaboration with other ministries and Agencies of government decided to give value to the nation’s natural resources by the use of science, technology and innovation.
According to Onu, “the ministry wants to make sure that the limitations we suffered as a nation in the exploitation of crude oil, where we failed to domesticate the technology does not happen with methanol.
“We want to domesticate methanol technology in the country such that in the future, Nigerian scientists and engineers, in line with the Presidential Executive Order No.5 will develop entrepreneurs and businesses that can compete with the best in the world.”
He further explained that the ministry’s sole aim of going into this technology is to utilize science,Technology and Innovation as a catalyst to achieve sustainable economic development.
” Innovation is at the heart of our ability to find solutions that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. And that is why Methanol -driven economy is beneficial in the following: job creation, technology development and domestication, electricity generation, transportation services, stoppage of gas flaring and achievement and achieving environmental sustainability among others,” he noted.
Onu also noted that the essence of the sensitization exercise was to make Nigerians understand the enormous benefit of introducing Methanol fuel in the country as it would help to create 40 million new jobs and more wealth for the nation.
He added that with the introduction of methanol, manufacturers will use it as feedstock for several product lines, noting noting that as a fuel in the transportation sector, it is cheaper than PMS( Petrol) and friendly to the environment.
Earlier, the Director of Environmental Science and Technology in the Ministry, Dr. Peter Ekweozor, said that strategies have been put in place to source for funding to boost the Methanol Fuel Technology value chain.
According to Ekweozor,Methanol Fuel is an alternative bio-fuel for internal combustion and other engines, either in combination with gasoline or independently, which is less expensive to produce sustainably than other fuel.
The Methanol Fuel Technology policy, he explained was developed jointly with The Federal Ministry of Transport, Finance, Petroleum, Agriculture, Power, Environment among others.
He added that this technology will boost Nigeria’s socio-economic fortunes.
