An agency of the federal Ministry of Science and Technology, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Wednesday, commissioned the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office, at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State.
The two days Programme also saw to the training of the Institution’s staff on the effective use of the office.
While Mr. Smart Tuedor, lectured on intellectual property and intellectual property rights, imperative of intellectual property policy in the 21st Century.
The Office was unveiled by Director General of NOTAP, Dr. Danazumi M. Ibrahim.
The DG represented by Mrs. Idereyin Imiyolo, said there was low knowledge of IPTTO among researchers in the tertiary institutions.
She noted that the Office would promote the development of locally motivated technologies to encourage development and utilitization of indigenous technologies through registration of technology transfer agreement.
Imiyolo, added that IPTTO operation would cover several gaps within the system including the limited interactions between the research Community and industry.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, (AE-FUNAl) Prof. Sunday Elom, commended the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, for his immense support and contributions to the University.
He said commissioning of the project, signals the official commencement of IPTTO activities in the University, adding that the office would not only serve the institution, but the southeast geopolitical zone.
He thanked Dr. Onu for supporting the collaboration between the university and National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), which gave birth to the establishment of IPPTO in the institution, “in addition to the equipping of our Chemical Engineering Laboratory, by NOTAP in conjunction with PZ Cussons to the tune of N30million”, he added.
He assured that the office would guide lecturers, researchers and other innovators within and outside the southeast zone on issues of copyright and patents as regards their research and innovative ideas in seamless manner.
The VC Prof promised to promote production driven research, geared towards providing solutions to the array of problems confronting the society by investing on relevant human and material resources as well as the needed infrastructure.