By Emmanuel Elebeke

ABUJA: The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya  Onu has charged  Nigerian youths to make use of the various platforms provided by the Ministry to create products and provide services   that can help to diversify the Nigerian economy.

Dr. Onu noted that Nigeria had a vibrant young population who constituted 65 percent of the total population of the country, adding that Nigeria relies on them to create the future and expressed his appreciation to the inventor for his efforts.

Ogbonnaya Onu

The minister gave the charge on Friday at the presentation of MATHSOCCER GAME invented by Princewill Okon under the guidance of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and promotion, NOTAP in Abuja.

He said the ministry was ready to support any innovation that will help grow the economy to solve our problems rather than seeking solution outside. He assured that the invention would be commercialized and be made available to   all Nigerians because of its potentials to nation building.

Dr. Onu further said that the invention will help stimulate interest in the Sciences and also improve the skills of teachers. Describing mathematics as the language of all sciences, he called on Nigerian entrepreneurial class to come and invest in the invention because of its great potentials.

The inventor, Princewill Okon said the Mathsoccer Game has a high economic value and intends to make it a national asset. According to him, “The estimated cost of production of a set of the Mathsoccer game is N2,500 for the production of 1,000 units. The unit cost of a set of Mathsoccer game compares favorably with other similar games such as chess, scrabble and Monoapoly whose unit prices ranges between N2,500 and n10,00”.

He said that the invention will improve learning skills and would want it to be mass-produced to make it affordable to all children.

Earlier, the Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Danazumi Ibriahim said that the game was aimed at providing an avenue for students and the general public to explore their interest in sports and instil in them the love for mathematics.

The Director-General  said, “this invention will enhance the learning   of mathematics as a subject. The ”Mathsoccer” Game is adaptable as an instructional tool for teaching the basic principles of mathematics to the younger ones in primary and secondary schools”.

He called on the government to purchase and distribute the Mathsoccer to primary and secondary schools across the country as instructional tools/materials for use in the mathematics laboratory as a means of promoting the leaning of Mathematics in Nigerian Schools.