The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) looks forward to interacting with individuals and corporate members of the public who desire to know more about solid minerals or group of minerals and how the minerals can create wealth and national development.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba, recently, in Abuja. He said the Agency has completed arrangements to host an event tagged “NGSA Mineral Clinic: Mineral Promotion, Sensitization and Dissemination,” which is scheduled to take place on Saturday February 18, 2023, at the NGSA Head Office via No. 31, Shettima Ali Monguno Crescent, Utako, Abuja by 11:00Am.
The Deputy Director, Mineral Promotion/Customer Service at the NGSA, Dr. Julius Kwache who spoke to our correspondent on behalf of the Director-General explained that the over 100-year-old exploration Agency has generated amazing reliable geoscience data needed by prospective investors to make investment decisions, adding that the Mineral Clinic aims to encourage Nigerians to take advantage of the investment opportunities afforded by the data.
He said the NGSA will go extra mile to ensure that geoscience information on Nigeria’s mineral resources is disseminated to the public for investment purposes, adding that more wealth and jobs can be created if investors take advantage of the data.
Dr. Garba said the essence of the Mineral Clinic is to ensure that the goals scored in the area of geosciences data generation is effectively disseminated and properly digested by the public.
The Director-General said: “In recent time, the NGSA has successfully conducted Mineral Clinics in the six Geopolitical Zones of the country,” adding that over 400 hundred potential investors attended the mineral clinic in all the 6 geopolitical zones and over 100 samples of rocks and minerals were tested with Hand-Held XRF free of charge. This, according to the Director General is to encourage investors into the mining sector in line with the current administration agenda of diversifying the economy of the country from oil-base to solid minerals. “In furtherance of this effort, we would conduct the exercise as a Grand Finale at the Headquarters of the NGSA in Abuja on February 18th 2023 he said,” he added.
He expressed concern that despite the abundance of solid minerals in Nigerian, investors are yet to take full advantage of the opportunity. The Director-General further stated that the aim of the Mineral Clinics is to expose investors, academia, students and stakeholders through sensitization and dissemination of geoscientific information on various solid mineral deposits in the country as well as respond to inquiries from the public.
While saying that one of the mandates of the Agency is to generate geosciences data for the economic wellbeing of the people and country, he explained that the Agency generates geosciences data and disseminates it for the end-users which include prospective investors, the academia, researchers and other members of the public.
Dr. Garba further stated that “as an exploration Agency, we will be most fulfilled when people deploy the generated geosciences data for economic transformation of the country.
“We want Nigerians and foreigners to maximize their use of the geosciences data we have been generating for the past 100 years,” stating that in the past four years, the current Management of the Agency went extra mile to increase the resource base of industrial minerals, noting that the NIMEP did so much to advance the cause of geosciences data generation.
He said that the Mineral Clinic is like an Open Day at the NGSA Head Quarters and there will be free test of rocks and minerals on that day using hand-held XRF.
The event will be concluded by a tour of NGSA facilities. In his words: “On that day, we would display all our exploration and geoscientific equipment used in the field or laboratory such as hand-held XRF, spectrometer, geophysical equipment like magnetometer, gravitometer and drilling rigs.”
The Director-General expressed confidence in the capacity of staff, stating that Management will continue to strengthen the capacity of staff.
Finally, the Director General stated that NGSA is looking forward to the honor of hosting the Supervising Ministers, MMSD and the Permanent Secretary, Directors General of Agencies and other Directors on that day.
In his capacity as Deputy Director of Mineral Promotion/Customer Service, Dr. Julius Kwache attributed the ‘resounding success of Mineral Clinic in the six geopolitical zones’ to Dr. Garba’s passion, dedication and hard work for the development of the sector.
The Deputy Director delightfully informed THE TRUTH that the huge success of the Mineral Clinics conducted in the geopolitical zones is a source of inspiration to the Director-General, adding that fulfilment comes when your efforts become a source of hope to locals and prospective investors. “In the zones, we had among our audience, ASM miners, Academics, mining enthusiasts, local groups, Women In Mining Nigeria (WIMIN) at state levels, State Chapters of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) and some Banks among others.”
“In Bauchi (North East Zone) for instance, the Deputy Director stated that the UBA fully participated in the Mineral Clinic, and they (UBA) let the public know that UBA has established a Mining Desk for miners,” he said, adding that until then, people were not aware that UBA has a Mining Support Desk.
Dr. Kwache finally said, “Since we started in the zones, people have been trooping to the NGSA Headquarter for mineral information and we are proud that our efforts are yielding the desired result.”
