#Sunshine2015 Knowledge-Driven and Reseach and development to Support the Nation's Infrastructure by Orimaye .S #Nse #Akure #Nigeria

1. KNOWLEDGE-DRIVEN AND
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
TO SUPPORT THE NATION’S
INFRASTRUCTURAL DRIVE.
BY
Orimaye, O.S., Ogunnaike, A.F.
Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental
Engineering,
The Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B 5351, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti
State, Nigeria.
E-mail: familiaa4real@gmail.com,
ogunnaikeaderoju@gmail.com
11/18/15 1

2. INTRODUCTION
It is a general believe that the existence and
development of any country, government,
companies, organizations and non-governmental
organizations depends on research. Research, which
is assumed to be very important, has claimed to be a
veritable tool in the area of development and
achievement. Research works, which has helped so
many organizations in both developed and
developing countries in many ways which make it to
be termed “critical and most important aspect of
development” to be reckoned with; especially when
we are talking about major advancement and
development in the 21st
century. The word
“Knowledge-driven and research and development”,
may be a new language or phrase in the area of
development to support the nations infrastructural
drive, but it has been, as a matter of fact used in so
many articles, journals and many online11/18/15 2

3. . The act of knowledge-driven in relation to research and
development to support the nation’s infrastructural drive
through engineering profession is another specific area of
importance which has been neglected; which is also a critical
aspect of development especially in engineering. Knowledge –
driven, which has to do with the technical know-how in the
area of development of some infrastructure and also, which
have to do with the personal understanding of individual in a
certain or specific area of profession with information and
understanding about a subject which a person has, or which
all people have; either in engineering or any other discipline.
A knowledge-driven economy is one in which the generation
and use of knowledge will come to play the major part in the
creation of wealth. It is not simply about pushing back the
frontiers of knowledge; it is also about the effective use and
exploitation of different types of knowledge in all manner of
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4. . Research and Development (R&D), which is also known in Europe as
research and technical (or technological) development (RTD), is a
general term for activities in connection with corporate or
governmental innovation. Experts agree that research and
development (R&D) is the backbone of a globally competitive,
knowledge-driven economy in which R&D investment helps develop
new products and services that drive growth, create jobs, and improve
the national welfare. . In either case, R&D differs from the vast
majority of corporate activities in that it is not often intended to yield
immediate profit, and generally carries greater risk and an uncertain
return on investment. En.wikipedia.org (2015). This special area which
has been overlooked by so many engineers has in one way or the
other affected the development of engineers and also the engineering
profession as a whole because Without R&D program, a firm must rely
on strategic alliances, acquisitions, and networks to tap into the
innovations of others. In general, R&D activities are conducted by
specialized units or centers belonging to a company, or can be out-
sourced to a contract research organization, universities, or state11/18/15 4

5. Nanjundaiah, (2011) explain that, In reality, the
knowledge-driven economic growth process through
research creates, disseminates, strengthen education
systems, promote research and development in a variety
of fields, and partner with foreign sources to expand
learning, target health, agriculture, and government and
industry sectors to balance traditional knowledge,
innovation encouragement and revise governance
through technology. It also focus on wide spread basic
education for all citizens, especially those marginalized
groups, create a culture of learning, foster improved
literacy, create lifelong opportunities for skill
acquirement, improve information and communication
technology (ICT) and enhance standards of education
through public awareness.11/18/15 5

6. VARIOUS WAYS BY WHICH KNOWLEDGE-DRIVEN
CAN BE PROPERLY HARNESSED FOR NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT. Knowledge and information networks and
exchanges: formal and informal groups that
provide Platforms for collaboration and exchange
of knowledge for further enhancement; by
developing basic ideas through research.
 Proper funding of individual or group research
that is related to technical know-how on a
particular area or field of profession.
Increasing recognition in technological
innovations and also support further
developmental ideas either by individual or
group of people.
Government should encourage individual or group of
people with basic knowledge on a particular subject or
area through giving of grants, awards, scholarships e.t.c11/18/15 6

7.  Government should see knowledge as the latest
stage of development in national and global
economic restructuring.
 knowledge-driven economy can use knowledge to
generate tangible and intangible values in the
area of infrastructure and Technology and in
particular the knowledge of technology which can
help to transform a part of human knowledge to
machines. This knowledge can be used by decision
support systems in various fields and generate
economic values.
 Extensive budget and training on knowledge
management, intellectual property management,
rights and efficient regulatory framework which
are essential to global standard knowledge driven
economy and steady state productivity in both
developing and industrialized countries.
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8. HOW TO ACHIEVE NATIONAL INTEGRATED
INFRASTRUCTURAL MASTER PLAN THROUGH
ENGINEERING PROFESSION.
 Proper planning and timely execution of projects that has
to do with national development.
 Partnering with national and international investors in
the area of engineering to provide engineering
infrastructure.
 Advancing integration, implementation and coherence by
assessing progress to date and bridging the gaps in the
implementation of major projects for sustainable
development and also addressing new and emerging
challenges.
 There should be timely provision of clear and definitive
information to Nigerians and all stakeholders that will be
an integral part of the projects from their inception and
also creating proper plan for implementation. This will
help to ensure that misconceptions are minimized, and
also promote favorable reception of the policy and
understanding of government activity and projects.11/18/15 8

9. The general focus should be on core area of
infrastructure, including en­ergy (power and
oil and gas), transport (roads, rail, ports and
airports), housing, water resources,
Information and Communication Technology
and Agriculture.
 The council for regulation of engineering in
Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian society for
engineers (NSE) and the monitoring team of
federal government should ensure proper
monitoring and assessment of ongoing
projects to avoid abandoned projects and also
to ensure proper engineering design,
manufacture, supply, installation, testing and
commissioning of executed projects.
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10. SOME CRITICAL APPROACH TOWARDS SOLVING
INTENDING CHALLENGES THAT MAY CAUSE
SETBACK FOR STRATEGIES OF IMPLEMENTATION
IN ACHIEVING NATIONAL INTEGRATED
INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN (NIIMP).
The executive committees, sub­committees and the
state infrastructure working groups, COREN and NSE
should advise the Federal government within the limit
of their capabilities for proper funding and timely
execution of projects.
The federal government should ensure that private
sector investment in public infrastructure should be a
continuous process.
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11. The National integrated infrastructure master plan
that was put together by stakeholders, which has been
presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and
which has been dully approved should be strictly
followed and also, should be properly handed­over to
any incoming government.
Any incoming government should ensure proper
implementation from where the previous government
stopped.
There should be more focus and dedication on the part
of federal government in the area of NIIMP for more
development.
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12. STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL
RESEARCH FOR PROPER DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
ECONOMY
There should be Creation of data based system
for federal and state ministries, parastatals,
universities, schools e.t.c for collection and
collation of local researches or projects.
 Proper funding of individual or group research
that is related to technical know­how on a
particular area or field of profession.
 Increasing recognition for individual or group
of people with technological innovations
through local research and also support further
developmental ideas through local research
either by individual or group of people.
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13. There should be targets of using local researches
with available natural resources in our
environment for the development of the
environment.
There should be financial and monetary policies
to transform the growth model of the economy
through local researches.
There should be focus on investing and
developing technical infrastructure and
improving the development of local researches by
the three tiers of government in our country.
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14. CONCLUSION
 In order to achieve timely execution of National
Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, it is of the
opinion that all mentioned points in this paper
should be looked into and proper communiqué
should be sent to the appropriate authority
including the federal government for proper and
necessary implementation.
 The federal government should ensure that;
there is more commitment from the three tiers of
government in this country towards sustainable
development and speedy implementation of
NIIMP.
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