Oulanyah calls for financial support to innovators

The Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah has called government institutions to make use of appropriate policies and laws to support the work done by innovators in the country.
Oulanyah said that innovators have enormous potential which can be boosted by more investment support making the  ventures fruitful which in turns leads to scientific advancement on a local level.
“As a government, we need to increase resources for research and development. Parliament in its committees must insist that funding towards innovation enterprises must be among government’s priorities,” Oulanyah said.
The Deputy Speaker made the remarks while closing the Science, Technology and Innovation Exhibition that was held at the Parliamentary grounds from 10 – 14 December 2018.
The exhibition organised by the Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation aimed at giving innovators a chance to showcase their works to the public as well as provide a link with industry regulators.
Oulanyah added that there was urgent need to review the existing laws that regulate innovation in a bid to eliminate what he termed as outdated provisions that impede the development of innovation and technology.
“The Ministry responsible for this should take the initiative and make the appropriate proposals so that funding can be set aside to make these ideas come to fruition. We need a data bank for innovation,” Oulanyah said.
The Chairperson of the Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga said that the exhibitors at the event would be engaged deeply, to generate a report with clear recommendations to government.
“We shall table this report on the Floor of Parliament and we know that out of that, a lot of action from government will be taken to support these innovators,” said Bwino.
At the closure of the exhibition, the Deputy Speaker awarded certificates of participation to some of the best exhibitors including the Presidential Initiative on Banana Development, School of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology at Makerere University as well as the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, among others.