From Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The role of research in harnessing the potential of minerals as a veritable tool for economic diversification cannot be over emphasized .
Director General/Chief Executive of National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos, Engr.Prof. Linus Asuquo, stated this during the official hand over of seven dilapidated buildings in NMDC to World Bank.
The buildings are earmark for resuscitation by the apex bank.
The bank received the buildings through the Project Coordinator World Bank-Assisted Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MINDIVER), Engr. Sallim Salaam, who was represented by Deputy Project Coordinator, MINDIVER, Abba Usman at the handover ceremony at NMDC, Jos, the Plateau State Capital.
Asuquo thanked the World Bank for agreeing to take over the rehabilitation of some of the buildings that are posing treats to the lives of workers at the research centre.
He said that with the present intervention of World Bank in the areas of infrastructural rehabilitation and human capacity building, NMDC is at the verge of becoming the hub of research and development in Africa thereby competing favourably with other Research and Development centres in the developed economies of the world.
The DG/CE recalled that earlier the World Bank through MINDIVER had procured two critical research equipments which are still on transit.
According to him, “By this, it will not only contribute immensely towards raising the economic fortunes of Nigeria, but meet up with world best practices in Mineral Research and Development.
The NMDC boss listed the buildings for renovation to include: Electric Arc Furnace Laboratory, Foundry, Wet Laboratory, Clinic, Corrosion Laboratory, Telecommunications building and Scanning Electro Microscope Laboratory.
Receiving the document containing details of the works to be done, the representative of the MINDIVER Project Coordinator, Abba Usman,
while handing same over to the contracting firm to execute the project– (Chianti Global Resources) reiterated the commitment of MINDIVER to ensure that projects carried out by Word Bank through the PIU would be completed and delivered to the Centre at stipulated time.
He appealed to the DG/CE to use his esthetics charisma exhibited so far at the centre to ensure that the contractors do not go contrary to the specifications in the document.
Usman informed that from what the team saw at the Centre in terms well structured conducive work environment speaks volume on the DG’s indefatigable ability to move the agency to the next level.
He said, “I’m very happy so far with what I have seen in terms of workers corporation and your leadership style; Keep it up.
