By Ibukun Emiola
The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) has urged the Federal Government to urgently address security concerns to enhance the harnessing of the abundant natural resources in the country.
The President of the association, Prof. Akinade Olatunji, made the call at a news conference on Friday in Ibadan, on the sideline of the investiture of the 32nd President of the association.
Olatunji noted that this could be achieved through the use of local experts and collaboration with relevant bodies, with the aim of boosting the nation’s economy.
He said the aim of the association as a stakeholder was to appraise the sectors of the country’s socio-economic life.
Olatunji said NMGS as one of the oldest professional societies in Nigeria founded on Jan. 15, 1961 had major roles in the mineral, water, environment, construction, and Oil and Gas sectors.
“It was based on these critical roles we occupy in the Nigerian socio-economic space that enable us to develop a motto that reads “creating and sustaining the wealth of the nation”.
He identified areas such as mineral, water, construction, and environment as well as oil and gas as critical sectors that needed urgent intervention by the new administration for economic growth.
Speaking on the Environmental Sector, Olatunji said “because we study and research on the earth, we have a better understanding of the earth’s dynamic than any other profession.
“Issues of global warming, climate change and the responses of the earth to all these changing physical parameters are better understood by Geologists. Issues of earth tremors, earthquakes, flooding, and the rest are all in the purview of our members.”
The president noted that the association was prepared to collaborate and partner with the government in harnessing the various areas for economic gains.
According to him, members of the association have the requisite expertise to solve challenges of building collapse, lack of potable water for human and agricultural use that would productivity, health and enhance food sufficiency.
Olatunji noted that the roles of the association in the Oil and Gas sector were numerous and well-documented, from finding the oil and gas reserves to the production and their utilisation for economic growth.
He said they could be instrumental to addressing the current global cry for the energy transition to renewables, “our members are in the forefront of this charge to ensure that energy sufficiency is achieved by Nigeria.
“It is on record that since NNPC came into existence, the best performances recorded have always been when our members are at the helm of affairs.”
He stated that the issue of environmental sustainability should be taken much more seriously, adding that the water sector needed a coherent law to govern its activities.
Olatunji, however, called for synergy among all the various agencies and initiatives of government.
“There is a need to bring some order into the water sector. The need for a simple water Bill cannot be overemphasised.
“This is long overdue as the impact of global environmental change on our water resources is becoming more and more evident.
“Nigeria needs to have a well-defined water policy to boost agriculture and food security, industrialization, and access to clean water for domestic use and for sanitation.
“Water is critical to the well-being of Nigerians and we need to adopt wholesome measures that will guarantee access to potable, safe, and clean water across the land,” he said. (NAN)
