A technical consultative committee has been inaugurated to fashion strategy for the implementation of Presidential Executive Order 5.

The committee was inaugurated on Thursday by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

The Presidential Executive Order 5, is a document, designed to place Nigerian professionals and manufacturers at the center of the Nigerian economy.

Mr Onu, inaugurating the 204-member committee in Abuja, said they should focus on their mandates.

He said the committee mandates included deepening knowledge-based economy that is innovation driven and rapid movement of Nigeria to become an industrialised nation.

Others are the creation of enabling environments to mobilise local investment, attract more foreign direct investment and to help achieve economic empowerment of Nigerian professionals and manufacturers.

Mr Onu advised committee members to find out from all stakeholders, professional bodies, contractors, manufacturers, the problems and challenges preventing them from participating effectively in the Nigerian economy.

He said the committee should be fully abreast with the details of the Executive Order 5 and ensure that its activity would guarantee full implementation of the order for the benefits of Nigerians.

The minister said his ministry would develop six Technology and Innovation Centers (TICs) established by the Executive Order 5 in the six geo-political zones of the country.

He said that they would increase productivity and global competitiveness ranking of the country.

The Consultative committee’s chairman and coordinator, Ibiam Oguejiofor, said the committee would adopt a “bottom to top approach” policy, to fully tackle the implementation of the order.

(NAN)