Scientific evidence, collaboration critical to attaining SDGs, say Onu, UNILAG VC

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Vice-Chancellor University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and the Project Lead, Evidence Use in Environmental Policymaking in Nigeria (EUEPiN), Dr. Temitope Sogbanmu, yesterday, stated that scientific evidence and strategic collaboration among researchers and policy-makers are critical to Nigeria attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Onu, represented by Mr. Ezenwa Ifeobu, who spoke at the end of the project dissemination meeting of EUEPiN, stated that policies informed by quality evidence and contextual factors bring about better outcomes and sustainable development.

The minister said: “The year 2020 marks the beginning of the decade of action towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This, however, makes it clear that we have only a short time to 10 years to attain these goals. As we work hard to advance our pace in attaining the SDGs, build a nation of our dreams, solve the myriad of environmental challenges that confront us, establish a green and circular economy among many other aspirations of the ministry, the need for scientific evidence as collaboration, especially with evidence producers, become more imperative.”

On his part, Ogundipe, represented by Prof. Lucian Chukwu, said environmental sustainability was a core pillar without which the dream of sustainable development would remain a mirage.

The Vice-Chancellor added that evidence from incidences and trends across the globe indicate that for any nation or society to successfully deal with the environmental quality decline, it would need evidence-informed policies and laws backed and driven by evidence, not just political ideologies and guesswork.

Sogbanmu, who said the project’s aim was to bridge the gap between evidence producers and users in the area of environmental issue management, stated that to have the kind of sustainable development that Africa would want, there is a need to ensure that policies and decisions made by government and stakeholders are informed by evidence in concert with contextual factors.