Gyang Bere, Jos

The Deputy Project Coordinator for Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MINDIVER) in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Alh. Abba Usman said the Federal Government has obtained a facility at the World Bank to resuscitate the mineral sector in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic recovery policy thrust.

Alh. Usman disclosed this yesterday during the inspection of seven buildings at the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) Jos for Federal Government’s intervention for proper research development and processing of minerals resources.

The Project Coordinator equally handed over the buildings to the Contractor incollaboration with the Director General of the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Engr. Prof. Linus Asuquo for renovations after which the required machines would be installed.

He said the project came by way of intervention when Federal Government secured loan facility from the World Bank for the development of the mineral sector in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy thrust.

“The Federal Government want to diversity the economy through solid mineral and agriculture and this is one intervention that seek to rejuvenate the mining sector.

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“Government has realised that NMDC is one of the agencies that required this intervention because they help in processing the mineral material resources and this is what the country need to revive the downstream sector of mining because the minerals are mine now under an informal procedure and processes.”

He said the seven buildings billed for renovation are Preliminaries, Clinic, SEN Laboratory,Wet Analysis Laboratory, Foundary, EAF building and External Works among others.

The Director General of National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Engr. Prof. Linus Asuquo said the Centre is position to carried out quality research to development mineral exploration and mining processing in the country.

“Now that the oil sector is going down, we should invest a lot on Mining and Mineral processing. We should start from exploration, mining and processing. This is what the country need now.

“The NMDC is determined to start proper research on processing of our minerals. Plateau state was first in the whole world in tin processing, we had about 196 companies in Jos for processing tin, none is here now. We want to do research to bring out the remaining minerals and that will improve our economy and our revenue generation in the country.”