The Honorable Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammad Musa Bello represented by the FCT Secretary for education , Senator Isa Maina, has flagged off FCT Department of Science and Technology Project Exhibition also known as Fastech for 2018. The event which is popular and fast becoming an annual event is a circle of inventors, Scientists and even inventors. The event is a platform designed to identify and bring together all stakeholders including Public and private artisans and entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services as well as harness the economic and scientific potentials of the science and technology sector. The honourable Minister said it is his intention that FASTECH grow and become as popular and relevant as the annual FCT Book Fair which is currently in its 22nd year.

The theme for this year is “Technology and Society in the 21st century”. The Secretary for education in his remark stated that the theme was both apt and relevant especially now that virtually all endeavours of human existence is influenced in one way or the other by technology, ranging from communication to medicine, education to transport and agriculture to financial management.

He also informed the Hon. Minister that the FCT administration investment in Science and Technology was already yielding dividends going by the inventions from the various schools that can be put into everyday use. FCT schools have won laurels in science and technology competitions in recent years he said, some of which include 2017 Junior Engineers Technicians and Scientists, Nigeria Institute of Physics, and National Space Ambassador Competitions, Government Science Secondary School Pyakasa, Government Science and Technology College Garki, School for the Gifted Gwagwalada came 2nd in National competitions respectively with additional 10 laurels.

The secretary for education, whose remarks was presented by the Director Administration and Finance, Mrs. Eunice Ugochukwu sought for the continuous support of the FCT Administration, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant government and non- governmental organizations to continue to support the effort of the education secretariat for the building and development of a country that is technologically innovative and responsible in its application to everyday life.

The Keynote Address was delivered by the Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Professor Michael Umale Adikwu who spoke on the theme of the FASTECH EXPO “Technology and Society in the 21st century”. He stated that we are in a complex and dynamic world where the world currently is governed by systems that were a few years ago beyond human reasoning and there are developments in science and arts that are making human lives better that they used to be. He said the dynamics of the global economy have been changing rapidly in recent years and it is becoming steadily more integrated , partly as a dramatically falling costs of transportation, combined with great advances in computing and communications technologies. Therefore, no curriculum planning at any level for the present can be meaningful without taking these global changes into consideration if the students are being prepared for the global market. This is pertinent now because substantial amount of work requiring high and intermediate skills may migrate to low cost countries and, in fact, that is currently the trend through outsourcing. How these dynamics will change the kinds of skills that are demanded in the market must be considered in curriculum planning in our education and research systems, if we must not be left behind, the professor asserted.

The Ag. Director, Department of Science and Technology, Mrs. Ibrahim Christiana O. in her early welcome the of the guests informed the gathering that the theme of this year FASTECH “Technology and society in the 21st Century was driven by the fact that 21st Century civilization is knowledge driven and that it is a fact that socio-economic development in any nation has positive c0-relation with the level of science and technology attained by the society. She stated that the exhibition is an opportunity for all to see in practical terms the creativity in our scientist, fabricators and inventors. She further said the occasion will promote indigenous enterprises, built trust in made in Nigeria goods, link innovations with entrepreneurs for effective commercialization of innovations and inventions.

In attendance were management staff of the education secretariat, Hajiya Yelwa Fatima the pioneer director of department of science and technology, as well as the Chief of Kwali Alhaji Shaban who represented the Emir of Abaji, Alhaji Yunusa the chairman FCT traditional Council. In his remarks he stated that technology is dynamic as the society is dynamic therefore we must have technology that is relevant to the needs of the society. He further observed that technological innovations in our institutions are lying unused, there must be a connect between the innovations in schools and the individuals / industries to make products to the society.

The Ag. Director presented to the representative of the Hon. Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammad Musa Bello, the trophies won by the FCT in the recently Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Technology and Innovation EXPO (EXPO 2018). One of the students from Government Science Secondary School, Pyakasa had the distinction of coming top of all other schools from the 774 local governments of the federation. Also in the project exhibition category of the same event another student from Government Science Technical College, Garki came first.

Various exhibitions mounted included, locally produced machines, bio-products, herbal drugs, textile fabrics, etc, traditional dances of Gbagyi, and other languages were not left out to add colour to the opening ceremony.