By Cross Udo, Abuja
The federal government has taken steps to print one million science textbooks to boost the integration of science courses among students at the basic school level.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Gas, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister explained that the project would be executed through the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
According to Lokpobiri, it was discovered that students were lagging behind in science courses, a development that is creating gaps in technology advancement.
He said, “Today, we brought a memo on behalf of the PTDF, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, which initiated a program called the PTDF Stem Fund.
“STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Some time ago, the PTDF, which is a law created to build Nigerians’ capacity in the oil and gas industry, came up with a program called the PTDF, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program.
“They sought presidential approval. Today, we brought a memo to the Council to print one million science textbooks. The science courses that were identified as deficient for Nigerians are physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and computer science.
“It is believed that for us to match up with the rest of the world, we needed to build capacity at the secondary school level. This program is meant to print 1 million textbooks, science textbooks that will be distributed to all the local government, 74 local government areas in the country, and to support the 104 unity schools that we have in the country, and then 122 special schools, that we have in the country.
“This memo was brought before Council and approved by Council. Essentially, what is important is that this is a support and dual capacity at the secondary school level. To match up with the rest of the world in terms of technological and engineering development, we need to lay a very solid foundation.”
Also, in a briefing, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Gas, Ekperipke Ekpo, said there was no going back on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles.
He said, “Today at the Federal Executive Council, the President has given a charge, through the Minister of Information, on CNG.
“We are well aware that the President set up a Presidential Committee on the CNG to drive the CNG project, as a minister who has been supervising what has been going on there, and it is left for us to inform the general public that CNG has come to stay, and we have to follow that route because CNG is safe, cheaper, and protect the environment.
“So, today, the President has talked about ensuring that most of the filling stations across the country are converted into CNG stations, where you have the conversion kits so people can convert their vehicle to CNG.
“It is important to note that you save a lot of money when you use CNG. A liter of fuel can go for N1000; with CNG, you get it at N200, which saves you N800. I believe, with the passion of Mr. President and the push that he has given to us, we’ll try as much as possible to drive the CNG programme to reach all the nooks and crannies of this country so that we will take advantage of the natural resources, gas, that God has endowed us.”
The Minister of Water Resources, Professor Joseph Utsev, said FEC approved the award of the Contract for the Construction of the Greater Dutse Water Supply Project in Jigawa State for a total contract sum of ₦59,457,319,900.94.
He also said that the Council approved the award of the Contract for the Rehabilitation of the Buruku/Gboko Water Supply Project in Benue State for a total contract sum of ₦18,893,279,411.42.
