Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, NMGS, has stressed that the multi-billion Dollar Ajaokuta Steel Company must work under the incoming administration if the Nigerian economy will bounce back and attract billion Dollar investments in various sectors. Speaking during a media interaction tagged ‘The Agenda Setting Media Chat for Incoming Governments at All Levels’, the President, NMGS, Prof Akinade Olatunji, said the Society is ready with its pool of professionals to give the needed support to make Nigeria’s dream come through about Ajaokuta Steel Company. The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society is one of the oldest professional societies in Nigeria founded on 15th January 1961 with major roles in the Mineral, water, environment, construction, and Oil and Gas sectors. Its motto is ‘Creating and Sustaining the Wealth of the Nation’. According to Olatinji, the first step to take to fast-track resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company is to immediately implement all recommendations made by various committees.
“The current government has freed the project of all foreign legal encumbrances and that is salutary. It is the hope of the NMGS that the national legal issues would also be resolved speedily. The incoming government should fast-track the recommendations that have been made by the several committees charged with resolving the Ajaokuta issues and put the complex to work. The incoming government has a willing and ready partner in the NMGS to assist in delivering on this significant project for the nation. The NMGS under my watch is ready and willing to work with all stakeholders to ensure that all hands are on the deck and the plough to ensure that we achieve continued progress. As professionals, we are ready to work and advise whoever needs advice in these sectors.”
Meanwhile, the NMGS boss also hailed the productivity, performance and improvement in the solid minerals sector under the Buhari-led administration. He said “the development of the Road Map for the development of the solid mineral sector had resulted in renewed attention being paid to the sector. Several reforms have taken place as the road map is being followed. The NGSA, MCO, Mine Inspectorate Division have been retooled and refocused to deliver on their core mandates.
“The evidence of these retooling and refitting have become obvious in increased flow of private sector fund into the sector as well as increased revenue realised from the licensing of operators. There is also massive improvement in the generation of geoscience data needed to excite the interest of the investors to make them look towards Nigeria in investing their funds in the mining sector. The overall outlook for the mineral sector is that we are on the right trajectory. All that is needed is a laser focus implementation of the reforms and strengthening of those things where we are doing well by ensuring that funding is improved. The sector does not need any distractions if we are to be taken seriously. The successes being recorded by private operators in the sector are beginning to attract the global mining investors’ attention. The NMGS is excited that the incoming administration has also pledged to ensure that the solid minerals sector remains in the front burner of its plans for ensuring diversification of the Nigerian economy.”
However, he said the solid minerals sector has employed so many professionals in the sector, and the growth is noble, and pleaded that, “The incoming government should not to come and scatter the growth and not with a sledge hammer but continue with the growth, and look what is on ground and run with that growth adjust where they need to adjust in the next two years we are going to have massive transformation that would have become our lot both in the oil and gas, solid minerals sector, and hopefully, we will begin to have a change of narrative in the environmental, water and construction sectors as well. The President of Nigeria Mining and Geoscience Society, NMGS, Prof. Akinade Olatunji, said Nigeria is mature for a National Water Resources Law that consolidates on the already existing laws in regulating the sector. Olatunji also decried the invasion and impunity of foreign quacks from India, China and other countries that are drilling boreholes indiscriminately.
