As a policy continuity strategy, the New Governor of Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule has said his focus would include majorly the development of solid minerals potential of the State even as the Governor disclosed that the new administration would continue with the existing collaboration between the government and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to develop the Solid Minerals Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (SOMMEDI), located in Nasarawa State, just like his predecessor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
Consequently, Governor Sule received in audience at the weekend the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Engr. Professor Mohammed Sani Haruna who paid him a courtesy visit on the Salah (Eid-el-Fitr) celebration. According to the Governor, the Solid minerals potential of Nasarawa State was enormous and therefore the attention of the new administration would not shift from its development and investment.
Nasarawa State is endowed with solid minerals and other natural resources. This status presented a great opportunity for the government to improve effectively on the socio-economic lives of the people and thereby further lifting many citizens of the state out of poverty.
Governor Sule during the parley with NASENI’s Chief Executive promised to continue full development of SOMMEDI to maturity and investment in the mining sector of the State as a matter of priorities. He assured that the State Government would immediately complete the landscaping project and to provide road networks for the entire 20-hectare permanent site of the Institute in order to fast track development of the various mining process facilities as contained in SOMMEDI plan on time.
According to the governor, the new Administration also would collaborate with NASENI to deploy the Agencys Solar Power capacity for the supply of electricity to the States General Hospitals and Street lights in rural areas, towns and cities within Nasarawa State.
SOMMEDI was established amongst other things to provide capacity building and enhancement, skill acquisition, research and development in the area of solid minerals development and processing, solid minerals machinery and equipment design, development and production. This will generally guarantee value addition and create chain of businesses in the sector. The Institute also was set up to provide consultancy services, chemical analysis of minerals, exploration of mining Geology, mine plan, processing, test design and many more. To this effect, the technical know-how, manpower development, machinery to mine solid minerals, and the determined investments require attention by the government. SOMMEDI as a newly established Institute of NASENI in the State is providing ready partnership to advance such requirement to the new administration.
SOMMEDI is a research and development institute under the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Federal Ministry of Science & Technology. The Institute was commissioned recently before the former Governor handed over to the NEW administration in the State.
Professor Haruna thanked the Governor for being visionary in his approach to continue with the good projects that were initiated by the immediate past government.
The EVC of NASENI however lamented the disappearance of crafts and technical schools from the Nigeria educational system with its negative effects on Industrial and manufacturing sector. He noted with dismay that qualified artisans who provide plumbing, carpentry, building, tilling and others are now coming from neighbouring countries. He commended Governor Sule on his proposed programme to revitalize technical and vocational education in Nasarawa State.
The NASENI helmsman said the Agency was prepared to do its best to support the governor in his bid to improve on the socio-economic status of the people in the State.
SIGNED:
Segun Ayeoyenikan
Deputy Director (Information)
NASENI