Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has blamed the failure of the Federal Government to produce Nigerian-made satellites on the lack of continuity of policies by his successors.
Obasanjo said lack of continuity in policies in the last 15 years had been responsible for the inability of the country to produce its own satellite.
The former president stated this in a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, when the management team of Algorism Ltd, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Rasheed Adegoke paid him a courtesy visit at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Penthouse residence.
The statement read that Obasanjo lamented that the advancement in the country’s technological drive would continue to be a mirage, saying the plan by Obasanjo’s administration between 1999-2007 was to build the country’s satellite wholly by Nigerians.
While recalling his role for the country’s technological growth, Obasanjo said, “We made the Chinese to train 120 Nigerians on how to build the Satellite.
“The plan was that they will build the first satellite and to build the second they will have to train 120 Nigerians who will build the second satellite with them and by the third attempt, we should be able to build the satellite on our own.
“But, the 120 Nigerians were nowhere to be found again. They were not dead, but the government that came after us, just could not understand and that is also part of the misfortune of Nigeria. I met the Nigerians when I later went to China.
“Checks revealed that, as at January 2022, the government of Nigeria is still getting approval from the President to purchase a satellite.”
While reacting to the request for mentoring by the company head, Obasanjo said that his doors were open for mentoring, as long as his health is still capable.
He stressed that with two hours daily squash game exercise among others, that was a pointer to his availability and agility.
“My door is open for mentoring. As far as I am able and still able from my head to my stomach level no problem. Even from the stomach level to my legs I am still okay. My early morning walk says my legs are still okay too.”
Earlier, Adegoke said his team, including workers of the company, were at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library for a retreat, and deem it wise to pay the legend the courtesy visit and congratulate him on his forthcoming 86th birthday.
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