The TETFund helmsman stated this on Tuesday, July 6, 2017 during a 2-day international workshop titled: Manuscripts Development and Handling organised by the Academic Publishing Unit (ACPU) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, in conjunction with TETFund. The event took place at the PTDF Lecture Theatre, Main Campus of the University.
Dr. Baffa said the quality and contents of the manuscripts submitted to TETFund are far below the expected standard, adding that the volume of manuscripts and publications by Nigerian scholars are highly gratifying but the quality is no way near international standards.
The TETFund boss disclosed that good books are expected to go through peer review and editorial scrutiny handled by professionals in the field in order to increase the book’s pool of knowledge while expressing hope that the workshop organised by FUT, Minna would address all the inherent challenges affecting the publication of quality books and journals by Nigerian authors. He commended FUT, Minna for championing the campaign.
“We are not interested in the number of manuscripts submitted; we are only concerned with the quality, contents and processes of the manuscripts because we do not want our logo to appear on substandard books,” he disclosed.
Dr. Baffa said TETFund has a huge allocation for manuscripts development and research grant. He, however, frowned at the fact that researchers are not accessing the funds because of poor quality of manuscripts and research proposals.
He stated that the workshop was well timed because it falls within TETFund’s mandate of supporting research and publications in tertiary institutions in the country, while stating that under the research and publications mandate, TETFund has also created additional five interventional lines namely; institutional based research, national research funds, manuscripts development, academic journal and books publication.
On journal publication, he stated that Nigerian researchers have all what it takes to publish in any top-class journals but are always in a hurry to publish in predatory journals just to beat promotion deadline. He, however, advised them to publish their findings in reputable journals that are indexed.
The TETFund boss disclosed that 90 percent of journals published in Nigeria are not indexed, saying that opening a website for a journal does not make it visible and advised that such journal should be linked to a knowledge gateway and indexed by any of the appropriate bodies.
He assured FUT, Minna that TETFund would do everything possible to ensure that the newly flagged off Academic Publishing Centre meant for the North-Central zone takes off soon.
Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Musbau Adewumi Akanji, FAS, FNSBMB, thanked the TETFund boss for making out time to declare the workshop open while noting that his presence at the workshop showed the importance of the event.
Prof. Akanji commended TETFund for its annual allocation to Nigerian universities for manuscripts development and journal publications. He expressed sadness that only few researchers are benefiting from the funds because of poorly written manuscripts and proposals.
“Because of the importance of this workshop, I have directed the Academic Publishing Unit to make proceedings from this workshop available to all staff and others who are not here,” the don disclosed.
He applauded TETFund for its support to the development of tertiary institutions in Nigeria and urged the Executive Secretary to assist the University in the supply of printing equipment so that the Academic Publishing Centre can commence operation.
Welcoming guests to the event, the Chairman, FUT, Minna Academic Publishing Unit, Prof. Omotunde Fasanya said the workshop was timely in view of the need to improve the quality of manuscripts written by authors.
Prof. Fasanya disclosed that the resource persons for the workshop are well grounded in research and manuscripts writing while assuring participants that they would find the workshop useful.
He commended TETFund and the University Management for their support for the workshop.
While delivering the workshop’s keynote paper titled: Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capacitation through Patent and Technology Transfer, the Chief Executive, Petroleum Training Institute, Warri, Prof. Sunny Iyuke urged researchers to conduct cutting-edge researches that are capable of being patented.
Prof. Iyuke said authors should patent their research breakthrough, adding that universities can make money through spin-off from staff research, just as it is been done in US and UK.
The TETFund boss, in company of other Principal Officers of the University, later inspected facilities at the Academic Publishing Centre with the assurance that the printing component of the Centre would be given urgent attention.
The workshop lived up to its billing by attracting international resource persons, scholars, participants and researchers from the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Nigeria.