Mining engineers urge FG to revive Ajaokuta, Itakpe plants

The Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers (NSME) has called on the Federal Government to exercise its political will to resuscitate the dying Ajaokuta Steel Plant and National Iron Ore Mining Company in Itakpe, which it described as the hope of Nigeria’s industrialization.

Addressing newsmen as a follow-up to the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and International Conference which held in Kaduna, the president of the society, Dr. Ebenezer O.A, Damiso, said if the plants were resuscitated, they would achieve rapid industrialization of the country.

“Many mines will come on stream to provide mineral raw materials such as iron ore, cooking coal, dolomite, magnesite and limestone among others as feedstock to the Ajaokuta steel plant. This steel sector cannot succeed without a viable mining sector. In the area of employment, a one million tonne per year steel plant in a country like Nigeria would need to forge the specialized skills and knowledge of not less than 10,000,” he said.

The society which commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for its diversification policy, called on Buhari to appoint a mining engineer as Special Adviser on mines and steel development to help push the industry forward.

He said the just concluded conference themed, ‘Unlocking the Investment Opportunities in Nigeria’s Mining Sector,’ was in line with the Federal Government’s agenda of diversifying the nation’s economic base with solid mineral sector as a pillar.