The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called for the upgrade of the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences (NIMG) to ensure it remains up-to-date with industry evolution.
The National President of the association, Dele Ayanleke, made the call in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ayanleke said that the move was imperative as the institute was tasked with the responsibility of providing essential skills to operators in the mining sector.
He said that this could be achieved through the review and upgrade of their curriculum for improved skills acquisition in the mining industry.
He urged the mining regulatory authority to collaborate with relevant educational bodies, such as the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), to achieve this feat.
“Additionally, the provision of extension services, which include the enhancement of skills for mining operators by the Artisanal and Small Miners (ASM) department, should be activated with funding support from the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF),” he said.
According to the president, the inadequate infrastructure for mining operations in Nigeria is a result of the long-term abandonment of the sector in favour of oil and gas.
He said that to address this challenge, the government must be audacious in its budgetary allocations, particularly for rail and water transportation facilities.
“The major operators in the sector can also be reined in to utilise parts of their taxes, levies, rates, and Community Development Agreements.
“This is to provide light infrastructures like road fixing and provisions of social amenities around the mining locations.
“The fixing of Kabba-Obajana-Lokoja Road by Dangote comes handy as a model for this recommendation,” he said.
NAN
