FG to establish space centre at UNIUYO

The Federal Government is planning to establish a space centre at the University of Uyo, Uyo, to aid marine research.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey Ewa, who stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, at the Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, said the university could partner Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, on development of the coastal line and should take advantage of the centre.
Professor Ewa noted that “Akwa Ibom has a coastline that requires continuous monitoring and research. The state is rich in mineral resources and marine products and there is the need to establish such a centre here.”
He hinted that Nigeria had a coastline to monitor the space and had recently launched Satellites 2 and X in Russia which was in orbit to assist Nigeria in agriculture and regional planning with an advantage of 2.5 photo-chromatic view.
“We took a team of engineers to Russia and launched the two satellites. As a result of the feat of President Goodluck Jonathan within his first 100 days, Nigeria is able to rub shoulders with United States of America,” the minister pointed out.
He advised the governor to relocate incubation centre in the state Ministry of Science and Technology due to expensive nature of the project, stressing the need to establish Institute of Technology and a cluster of parastatals to assist in the empowerment of the people.