Abuja — Minister of Science and Technology, Alhassan Bako Zaku yesterday tasked the Scientific Committee to ensure that Nigeria's hosting of 2010 Olympiad becomes a resounding success.

Zaku who gave the charge at the inauguration of the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) Scientific Committee in Abuja, urged the Committee members to take the responsibility of preparing the theoretical and practical exams seriously and ensure that they conduct credible examination that would be above board and measure up to international standards.

"Being university professors you appreciate the importance of conducting credible examination, he said".

He further reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitments in giving the Committee maximum support that would enable them achieve their goal of making the 7th IJSO the best and the most memorable in the history of events.

Earlier, the Chairman of Local Organizing Committee, Professor Peter Okebukola who outlined the hosting benefits accruable to Nigeria said that the competition would produce early identification of exceptional talents in science that can be nurtured to be future noble prize winners and top-rate scientists.

According to him, the students when they grow would contribute to driving Nigeria's economy in its match towards the realization of vision 20:2020.

He stated further that hosting of IJSO would promote tourism in the country as participants from other countries would savour the richness of the country's numerous tourist sites.

The former National University Commission (NUC) Scribe assured Nigerians that the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) would do everything possible to ensure the success of the event in Nigeria in 2010 adding that the event fell within the frame work of the re-branding Nigeria project which would receive a boost during the hosting of the Olympiad.

Responding on behalf of members of Scientific Committee, Prof. Babajide Alo of University of Lagos promised that the Committee would ensure that credible students are selected for the competition adding that the wealth of experience of individual members would come to bear.

The International Junior Science Olympiad is the competition in science for children under the age of 16 years, at the secondary school level.

The competition began in 2004 in Jakarte - Indonesia where 30 countries participated. Other countries that had hosted the competition include Brazil , Taiwan , and South Korea . Azerbaijan will host the 6th edition of the event in December 2009.

In a statement signed by the chief press secretary Tai Shobajo in Abuja weekend, Nigeria secured the hosting rights for the 7th Edition of the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) at the conclusion of the 4th Edition held in Taiwan in 2007.