Experts and researchers have called on government at all levels in the country to use research and modern technological techniques to proffer solutions to challenges of poverty, food insecurity, fuel subsidy removal crisis and others bevelling the country.
Solomon Akinola of the University of Ibadan; Olajumoke Morenikeji, Dean of Applied Science, KolaDaisi University, Ibadan {KDU-I}, all professors as well as Philip Savage and Godfrey Kyazze from the United Kingdom who dwelt on health research gave the advice during an international symposium organised by the Faculty of Applied Sciences of KDU-I, with the theme: ‘Advancing in Scientific Research in a Transforming World’
The experts and researchers in different fields such as Software Engineering, Digital Mining, Research, Applied Sciences, Computer Science, health and others also called on Tinubu to re-calibrate the Ministry of Digital Economy for optimum performance.
Akinola, a software engineering and digital mining researcher from UI, who spoke on the theme: ’’Guidelines for Conducting Computing/ Information Technology Research’’, said research could be used to resolve the fuel subsidy removal crisis and improve the economy.
According to him, ’’We can use a lot of research to solve a lot of problems. Like the issue of fuel subsidy removal, we can get data about subsidies, how much expended on it over the year, how are they managing it? We can get that data and subject it to data mining techniques which will help us to proffer solutions to the challenge and it will reveal what will happen in the next few weeks.”
While teaching the university students the techniques of conducting research, the computer science professor urged them to avoid plagiarism but warned them that plagiarism could destroy careers.
He said: “You must give credit to the individual in the research. Avoid plagiarism and copy-and-paste practice . It can destroy careers. There is some software available which can be used to eliminate plagiarism.”
On her part, Morenikeji, a professor said research is key for a country desirous of development and progress.
She expressed optimism on the Tinubu administration while, urging the president to use research to address food insecurity, climate change, unemployment, poverty and others.
‘’We have a lot of challenges which include food security, climate change, unemployment, and poverty. So many people are poor. The poverty level is high. There is a need to look at how to address poverty. The masses are suffering. They have removed fuel subsidies, and the money realized should be judiciously used and spread across our needs so that we can have proper infrastructure, proper education, health, and food security, then it is a good move.
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‘’I think we will go a long way as a nation if research can be sponsored, encouraged and funded. There is a need to put more money into research in the country. Research is key in a country desirous of development and progress,’’ she said.
She alao stressed the need for the country to invest more in research.
Speaking on the theme of the programme and the impacts of two UK scholars and researchers, Morenikeji said: ”We are privileged to have international guest speakers with several years of academic and research experiences who spoke on topics ranging from global health economics to biotechnology, sustainability and information technology. The programme was put in together to improve understanding of recent advances in our fast transforming world.’’
