Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, has stated that the Federal Government through the Ministry has released the sum of N142.6M for the purpose of research development in the Mineral and Metal Sector.
Adegbite stated this in Abuja, on the occasion of the Stakeholders Validation Exercise for the Research Development and Collaboration with some Nigeria Tertiary Institutions.
He said the institutions include the University of Ibadan, University of Port-Harcourt, University of Lagos, University of Jos, Ebonyi State University, Nasarawa State University, Federal University of Technology, The Kaduna Polytechnic, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University amongst others.
The Minister further stated that in order to succeed in fulfilling the mandate of the Ministry on job creation, raising the sector’s contribution to GDP of the country and promoting sustainable mining, the Ministry released the sum of N142.6million to achieve this collaboration with the stakeholders whose knowledge of the sector could facilitate the journey to shared mining in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, who was represented by the Director Special Duties, Mr. Yisau Adepoju, said in the Ministry’s effort to rejuvenate the Mining Sector it finds it crucial to collaborate with the.
Dr. Akinlade added that it is gratifying that these reputable institutions have completed their works. For their findings to be acceptable, it is customary, like in any other piece of research work it remains only an academic exercise until critical stakeholders come together to give it life so as to pave the way towards its acceptance and implementation.
She stated that the Validation of the Research Findings by all the stakeholders will unlock the potential and add value to the Mining and Mineral Sector.
The Permanent Secretary, also told the stakeholders that the Ministry is ready to partner with interested stakeholders in the areas of research, exploration, exploitation, beneficiation and the whole length of the value chain in the sector especially the gaps that would be identified in this research to create confidence as well as attract investors to the sector.
The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Gbenga Okunola, in his remarks thanked the Ministry for giving them the privilege to serve and told the gathering that nations develop as a result of collaborative research and development and that the objective of the Steering Committee is to help achieve the whole garment of the development mantra in the Mineral and Metal sector through collaborative research works such as this.
