Abuja — President Umaru Yar'Adua on Thursday pledged to accelerate the establishment of a National Science Foundation to boost science and technical education in the country.

He made the pledge at the State House, Abuja, after his investiture as Grand Patron of Science by the Nigerian Academy of Science.

He also promised a cash donation to the Academy as well as assist it towards building its national secretariat in Abuja.

According to Yar'Adua, "charity, we say begins at home; since we have donated $5 million to African Academy of Science, now we must come back home and make our donation to the Nigerian Academy of Science".

He added that modern civilisation "is founded on the tenets of science, engineering and technology and nations become great when they excel in the field of science, engineering technology in both its teaching and application.

"I have no doubt in mind that our vision 20-2020 will come to pass because we have now in this country put in place our own Academy of Science".

The President, therefore, directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to reconstitute the Presidential Science Advisory Committee to include members of the Academy.

President of the Academy, Ibidapo Obe, in his remarks, stressed the need for Nigeria to increase its investment in science and technology.