NOTAP advocates protection of intellectual property in Gombe State
National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), has called for protection of intellectual property of researchers in Gombe State.
Speaking on Tuesday, shortly after inaugurating introductory training on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO), Operations at the Gombe State University (GSU), Dr. Dan’Azumi Ibrahim Director General of NOTAP, revealed that the organisation saved the amount after assessment on technical partners.
Ibrahim explained that the sum would have been lost to capital flight but for the intervention of the technology acquisition and promotion outfit.
“From 2015-2019 during my first term in office. We saved what would have gone outside the country as capital flight the sum of N79.63 billion. Any agreement that comes for us to register and the agreement says that Nigeria is paying the technical partners; let say 100 million dollars.
“After assessing and review we say based on the guidelines of the CBN what is due for the technical partners is 50 million dollars and not 100 million dollars. Cumulatively, we saved N79.63 billion which would have gone outside the country’s capital flight,” Ibrahim said.
The DG stressed that research is pivotal to human development, noting that the university community is the habitat for such emancipation.
He said research can be supported when necessary infrastructure is provided, adding that there is need to develop capacities.
He said, “This will help knowledge to be translated into products and services and it will create wealth. We realised the need to sensitise the university community particularly the researchers. This is where research and development takes place.
“If you don’t protect your intellectual property it like you are throwing it away for just anyone to make use of it, before publishing their innovation and inventions they must protect it as the initial place for commercialisation.”
Also speaking, Vice Chancellor of GSU, Prof. Aliyu El-nafaty said the newly established office would help the university community towards harnessing, collating and marketing all the innovations for the good of the state.
According to El-nafaty, “We have so many people within and out side the university community in the state that also have basic innovation. We hope to collaborate with them. Prior to now, we have lost alot because there were not deliberate attempt to collate, promote the various innovations.”
On her part, Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Aisha Maigari said the office would provide the enabling environment for researchers to operate.
She said, “We feel there is a need for inventors and innovators to be protected. Going forward, we are going to have data bank of our innovators and inventors. For some of them it is lack of technical know how, lack of commercialisation.”
