HONORABLE MINISTER DR. OGBONNAYA ONU AT AE-FUNAI TO PERFORM GROUND BREAKING FOR ASTAL SOUTH EAST ZONE
The Minister for Science and Technology and first civilian Governor of old Abia state, Hon. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, accompanied by his amiable wife, Ma Chinyere Onu, on Thursday visited Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebony State, for ground breaking of Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory (ASTAL), for the South East, situated in AE-FUNAI. The laboratory, when completed will ensure a cutting edge research in the area of tackling erosion and all disaster management in Ebonyi state and South East Nigeria. Recall that ASTAL became operational in AE-FUNAI in 2017, second year into the administration of Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba as Vice-Chancellor.


VC, Prof. Nwajiuba, receiving the Hon. Minister
In his welcome address, Prof. Nwajiuba commended the Honorable Minister for his good leadership and seriousness in discharging his duties and for the love he has shown the young university, adducing that his type is rare to come by. Prof Nwajiuba recalled that Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu delivered the very first inaugural lecture of the University. He enthused that AE-FUNAI is the most serious Public University in Nigeria today, thanking the Minister for finding AE-FUNAI worthy to lead the South East in Space Technology. “We are privileged to have you. ‘’We welcome a serious person to a serious university”, he stressed. Prof. Nwajiuba prayed that God will continue to imbue the Honorable Minister with good health, sufficient grace and wisdom to continue the good work.


Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu delivering his speech
While delivering his speech, Hon. Minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu stated without mincing words that right from her independence, Nigeria was created a great nation that is highly endowed with natural resources and has one of the most intelligent people anywhere in the world, to the extent that the country was picked as the country to watch in Africa. He posited that Nigeria will be great again and that the future of our country is very bright. He iterated that brightness can only be attained if we emphasis Science Technology and Innovation, adding that we cannot achieve this without emphasising Space Science, Research and Development. According to him, Space Science and Technology influence and affect every aspect of our life dramatically, siting the satellite, telecommunication, broadcasting, medicine, agriculture as typical examples.


Prof Nwajiuba making remarks at the event
Dr. Onu reiterated that Space Science is always at the frontier of technology, be it the new technologies, the virgin technologies, whether robotics, artificial intelligence, and all the specialized forms of technology that will task the basis in human existence, are found in Space Science and Technology. He further stressed that there is no limit to what Space Science and Technology can do in our lives.


Dr. Chizea speaking at the event
The Hon. Minister appealed that our nation should continue to support Space Science and Technology, urging that it is important to spread the message to Nigerians, such that we must recognize that there are benefits derived from Space Science and Technology. He assured that the laboratory will be completed in two years and when completed and adequately equipped, will provide conducive environment for scientific research to take place and also be of immense benefit to the university community and other tertiary institutions, secondary schools, security agencies, environmental researchers and experts, the entire people of Ebonyi state and our dear nation. He thanked specially the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nwajiuba and the entire university management for making the development of the Space Applications Laboratory possible by availing the ministry the piece of land for the project.


Hon. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, laying the foundation
Speaking also during the event, the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Francis Chizea, said the Space Applications Laboratory is an Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, saddled with the responsibility of promoting the use of space technologies and applications for socio-economic development and advancement of our great country.

Dr. Chizea warmly appreciated the Hon. Minister for his presence to perform the ground breaking, adding that this is a clear demonstration of his commitment to the greatness of our country and particularly his passion for Science and Technology, as well the priority he has accorded the Nigeria’s Space programme. He went further to state that there is no gainsaying the fact that Space Science and Technology has yielded immense benefits that have significantly improved human lives as it has provided wide range of solutions to complex socio-economic and environmental challenges.


Andrew Onwusulu, Coordinator (ASTAL) AE-FUNAI making vote of thanks


Dr. Onu and Prof. Nwajiuba in group photo with officers of the University and NARSDA Staff
The Director General reiterated that the establishment of Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory in Ndufu-Alike in August, 2016 is to meet the crucial challenges, as well as serving as a focal point to advance the use of Geospatial technology especially in the South Eastern Nigeria. He affirmed that the development of the Laboratory/Office complex will provide an enabling environment for the university staff and collaborators to conduct vigorous patented and commercialized researches; while calling on all staff of the Laboratory to generate necessary geospatial data and develop Spatial Data Infrastructure especially for the South Eastern Nigeria


Nkwa Umu Agbogho Afikpo performing at the ground breaking Ceremony