On so many occasions, I have had people, young and old, come to me grieving about how they sold an idea to government and how, subsequently, they learnt that the same had been embraced by government in favour of someone else. Some have even suggested that civil servants actually steal their ideas and pursue the same through proxies or for percentage cuts on the gains. This must get us all worried. Not so long ago, I consulted with one lady over a product that, according to her, they had researched and sold to government and which is now being pursued away from them.
The project, according to her, was being pursued using their intellectual and resource output and for that she did present some evidence. I spent a good hour listening to the lady and seeing her going through all the frustration of being betrayed by her own government and it was sad. Really sad, I must say. Only innovation will take us somewhere in enhancing citizen economic empowerment, creating employment and growing the economy. Nothing should be allowed to stifle it.
