Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
A Professor of Geology, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Oyinloye Akindele Ojo, has charged the Federal Government to map out strategy to develop atomic technology in the country.
He said the nuclear technology under the context of atomic bomb design, has become one of the most profitable aspect of solid mineral resources sector, saying the country has huge deposit of uranium that can sustain investment in the economic sector .
The Don also advised that the country must rejig its legal framework to be able to tame the menace of illegal mining that has become a monster draining the gains in the mining sector .
The expert spoke on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti at the 3rd meeting of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) with the theme: ‘Nigeria Minerals and Metals Sector: Spectrum for Investment Opportunities for Economic Growth and Development’.
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In his short paper at the opening session of the event, the renowned Geologist, said it was a misplaced priority for the country to rely on oil in spite of strong potentials in the mining sector.
Ojo, in his text entitled :”Overview of Legal and Regulatory Framework in Nigeria Minerals and Mining Sector, urged the country to design ways to boost atomic and nuclear technology due to high deposit of uranium in Nigeria that can be tapped into .
“Nuclear technology is a profitable aspect of solid mineral sector. In the middle East and Asia, we hear of attempt to test nuclear bomb every day and uranium deposit in Yola that has been abandoned can be developed to earn us economic gains”, he said .
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral Resources, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mu’azu, said the importance of mining sector in the process of economic development can’t be overemphasized, saying discussion on such a pivotal sector in a country like ours becomes imperative .
“Federal, states, local governments and private sector can sit and brainstorm on how to build the sector to make it a veritable economic fortunes. Nigeria must provide the right legal framework and map out strategy to develop the sector to make it a vibrant alternative to oil.
“The ministry has been able to make progress in spite of the numerous challenges confronting it. The gains Nigeria is having in the sector confirmed that the sector has helped in shoring up revenue profile of the federal government”.
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, said Ekiti has a lot of potentials in the mining sector with array of mountains and mineral deposits that can be developed to turn around the economy