Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele has underscored the need for repositioning the mining sector through technology for greater productivity.
Dr Alake who stated in Abuja said with technology, the sector would also contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
Speaking while playing host to the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Alake pointed out that the solid minerals sector relies on a huge dose of technology to sanitize the sector in areas such as scientific geo-data generation and addressing security challenges, as well as other ancillary matters around the mining value chain.
He said the visit was a fallout of the ministerial retreat held last week to forge a collaboration that would ensure the solid minerals ministry was beneficial through innovations.
“For instance, in the security architecture that we are rejigging, we are going to inject a large measure of technology into it. Where else to go but the Science, Innovation, and Technology Ministry to assist us in this regard. We are consolidating, discussing, and moving the issue forward to ensure that at the end of the day, there is synergy in all our operations. The minister added.
Earlier, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji expressed his ministry’s commitment to the partnership as it would assist the solid minerals sector to take advantage of innovations in the ministry to improve activities in the mining sector.
Mr Nnaji informed the minister of the numerous innovations in the agencies, especially in the National Space Research and Development Agency, which has a satellite approach that could help monitor the activities of the Solid Minerals Ministry.
“We have a lot of innovations in science and technology. We have a satellite approach to what they do in the Solid Minerals Ministry, such that even on the Minister’s desk here, he can see all the licenses they have issued and be able to monitor whenever there is an intrusion into a mining area or someone is mining illegally.
