The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has urged mining professionals to groom younger cadres to sustain the development of the nation’s mining sector.
Giving the keynote address at the annual conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, Alake, represented by the Director-General of the Mining Cadastral Office, Obadiah Nkom, urged the society to engage in enlightenment at the secondary school level, initiate contests and activities that will make many youths see the advantages of pursuing careers in mining sciences for the nation’s collective benefit.
The NMGS is the umbrella professional and scientific organization for mining and mineral processing engineers, metallurgists, and geoscientists in the solid minerals and oil and gas, water and environment sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Alake in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Wednesday, said, “Let us recognise the need to build a good foundation for the next generation of mining engineers and geologists. As we sit here, many students in secondary schools are about to choose their career paths. How many teachers and counsellors know about geology and mining professions? Most of the students are going to be advised to choose the traditional disciplines.
“I, therefore, urge the NMGS to engage in enlightenment at the secondary school level, to initiate contests and activities that will make many youths see the advantages of pursuing careers in mining sciences.”
Stressing the need to groom a new generation of mining professionals, the minister urged NMGS to focus on sensitising students in secondary schools on the imperative of pursuing careers in mining sciences.
Speaking further, the minister charged the society to partner with the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency by sharing new findings to ensure that the agency becomes a repository of accurate data that will guide prospective investors in making informed decisions about the mining sector.
He hailed the professional services rendered by mining engineers and geologists in areas of exploration and extraction, emphasising that without their input, mining operations would have been a herculean challenge.
“It is now very obvious that unless we come together to build the NGSA as a data behemoth that commands the respect of investors and financiers locally and internationally, our efforts to transform the sector will not be sustained.”
