From Magnus Eze, Abuja
MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has proceeded on a 4-day official visit to the Vatican City, Rome.
During the visit, the minister is expected to meet with His Holiness, Pope Francis and other Vatican authorities, to work out modalities for accelerating the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the effective take off of the Assumpta Science Centre, Ofekata, Owerri, (ASCO), in Imo State.
The centre, conceived in 2011 by the Pontifical Council for Culture, would provide skill acquisition and capacity building options designed to attract young people to choose careers in science and technology from across Africa.
A statement by his Special Assistant, Mr. Sunny Onyeukwu said “the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, in 2015, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Holy See, represented by the Pontifical Council for Culture, Vatican City.”
The minister is also expected to visit the Pontifical Academy of Science, the Vatican Science Museum and hold talks with leading Italian officials on science, research and international co-operation.
Onu is expected back in the country on Friday.