By Goodluck Ikiebe
Nigeria’s Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, MMSD, has called for a more robust collaboration with its Agencies towards achieving national growth and development in the minerals and mining sector of the economy.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr Mary Ogbe, stated this when she visited the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF); a parastatal of the Ministry; in Abuja, in continuation of her scheduled familiarisation tour of agencies/parastals under the Ministry.
Dr. Ogbe, in her address, acknowledged and commended the mutual/symbiotic relationship existing between the Ministry and SMDF, which she described as very critical to achieving its mandate for economic diversification of the economy and enhancing infrastructures in the solid minerals sector.
She explained that the Ministry will consolidate and sustain its mutual relationship with the SMDF and its other agencies to enable them actualize their mandates for the benefit of the citizens and investors.
Dr Ogbe further commended the Solid Minerals Development Fund ( SMDF) on its modest achievements under the present Executive Secretary.
Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Secretary (SMDF), Hajia Umaru Fatima Shinkafi, appreciated the support of the Ministry, whch she noted has made reforms aimed at repositioning the SMDF to attain its goals.
While interacting with the media during the visit, the Executive Secretary stated that the essence of Development Fund is to enhance both human and physical capacity in the minerals and mining sector, particularly the mining institutions to enable them perform their statutory functions.
