The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has stressed the use of technology in cleaning and realigning the mining industry for increased output in order to realise its maximum potential.
Alake revealed this on Monday in Abuja when he hosted Mr. Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, according to a statement from Segun Tomori, the minister’s special assistant on media.
According to the announcement, Alake stated, “Technology will reposition the sector to enable it to contribute substantially to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.”
It went on to quote Alake as noting that the solid minerals industry depends heavily on technology to clean up issues like security concerns, the creation of scientific geo-data, and other peripheral issues related to the mining value chain.
For example, we are going to incorporate a lot of technology into the security architecture that we are redesigning.
“Where else can we get help in this area outside of the Science, Innovation, and Technology Ministry?
“For this reason, my brother Minister has arrived, and together we are gathering, talking, and advancing the matter to make sure that ultimately there is coordination among all of our endeavours.
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“That was a major component of last week’s cabinet retreat.
The minister continued, “The visit is a continuation of our joint efforts to make sure that the solid minerals ministry is a beneficiary of all the innovations that will be pushed out.”
During his speech, Nnaji reaffirmed the need for collaboration in order to help the ministry of solid minerals capitalise on new developments and keep the minister informed about goings-on in the mining industry.
“Science and technology have made many advances in recent years. Our solid minerals ministry operates using a satellite technique, so even from the minister’s desk here, he can view and keep track of all the licences that have been awarded.
It implies that he will become aware of any illegal mining activity or intrusions into mining areas.
He will be able to interpret all of these and more right from his desk. That has been a topic of our conversation. Nnaji declared, “We really want to be in line with the Renewed Hope agenda.”
