Gbong Gwom Jos call State and Federal Government to fund Metallurgical Development Centre

Gbong Gwom Jos call State and Federal Government to fund Metallurgical Development Centre

The Chairman Plateau State Join Traditional Council and Gbong Gwom Jos, His Royal Highness Da. Dr. Jacob Gyang Bubu has made a compassionate appeal to State Government, Federal and spirited individual to inject more funds into the Metallurgical Development Centre

The traditional ruler, made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Metallurgical Development Centre Jos recently.

He said, the National Metallurgical Development Centre is a facility that can increase the Nigeria GDP if properly hanas which can be done under the watch of Engr. Prof.Asuquo

The traditional ruler appeal to the State and Federal Government to seriously look into the NMDC as he said their is a lot of hope in that place.

Furthermore, he said the NMDC will transform the Nigeria quest for technological development from what he saw.

Also in his earlier address the Director General, National Metallurgical Development Centre, Engr. Prof. Linus Asuquo on behalf of the Board, Management and staff of the National Metallurgical Development Centre, welcome His Royal Majesty, The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Dr. Jacob Gyang Buba (CON), who is also the Chairman, Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs and members of hid entourage, including the Press, to the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Jos.

He said, he is particularly elated that this is the first time the Centre is receiving such an exalted figure in its almost 50-year history. This is testament to the impact of the Centre on national development particularly in the mineral and metal sector for which Plateau State is known nationally and internationally.

The state has carved a niche for itself in the mining world since the colonial era as a result of its activities in tin mining and smelting. The contribution of the Amalgamated Tin Mining Company of Nigeria (ATMN) and Makeri Smelting Company are well known the world over. While tin mining still plays a very important role in the socio-economic life of the state and indeed Nigeria, other minerals, in recent times, equally make significant contributions in this direction. These include, but not limited to Lead/Zinc, Columbite/Tantalite, Wolframite, Zircon, Refractory clays, Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline and Barite.

Furthermore, Prof. Asuquo disclosed that It has become necessary, in view of the foregoing, that the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) works closely with the people and Government of the state to advance Government policy in the minerals and metals sector of the economy. The policy is aimed at the diversification of the economy using the mining sector as one of the means of creating alternative sources of revenue for government and by doing so create jobs and wealth for the people and enhance the nation’s GDP.

He said, It is his desire to deepen the good working relationship between NMDC and stakeholders on the Plateau, and of course to pay my respects to his Royal Majesty that informed my visit to you on the 28th of August, 2018 after assuming duties as the Director General/Chief Executive of NMDC in July of the same year. You will recall, Your Majesty, that during that visit, I promised to extend an invitation for you to pay a visit to the Centre after we must have made significant progress in the renewal of infrastructure and resuscitation of research equipment.

He also reveals that he is glad to say that your visit today underscores the progress we have made in this effort in the last three years that I have been the DG (which you will see as you go round the Centre) and is also a testament to the cooperation and support from your Royal Majesty and the good people of Plateau State.

Permit me at this juncture, sir to give a brief on the National Metallurgical Development Centre.

He also reveals that, the mandate of NMDC

The National Metallurgical Development Centre was established in 1973, as a testing laboratory and research Centre to conduct tests and analysis of raw materials for the nation’s steel industries being conceived at that time, i.e., the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the three inland rolling mills at Jos, Osogbo and Katsina.

The Centre was later upgraded with the intervention of the Federal Government of Nigeria – United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Industrial Development Organization (FGN – UNDP/UNIDO) and legally backed by Act No. 60 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 (Decree 50 of 1992) to carry out among others the following functions:

a) Up-grade the qualities of Nigerian low-grade ores and minerals, through beneficiation techniques and processes with a view to achieving an efficient and economic extraction of the materials contained therein with the purpose of ensuring self-sufficiency and rendering unnecessary the importation of such ores or metals as are produced there from.

b) Design and develop pilot flow-sheets for various metallurgical processes especially for the economic standardization and beneficiation of locally produced ores.

c) Improve the performance of the processes used in the metallurgical and allied industries through the application of fundamental scientific knowledge to the solution of problems related to steel production, fabrication and utilization.

d) Render to both public and private establishments engaged in the metallurgical and allied industries, consultancy and technical services at various stages (including exploration, processing, smelting, design and fabrication stages) and charge fees for such services.

Achievements of the Centre

Over the years, NMDC has carried out a lot of research work in the areas of raw materials development for iron and steel making, foundry technology and other metallurgical processes to mention a few. NMDC’s research works have led to the utilization of local bentonite deposits for cement production, development of a flowsheet for the production of super concentrates from the Itakpe iron ore deposit for the Direct Reduction steel making process at Delta Steel Company Limited and characterisation of most known deposits of iron and steel making raw materials and other non-ferrous ores. These are achievements that have directly or indirectly contributed to the development of the minerals and metals sectors by creating jobs, wealth and increasing GDP in the country.

The Centre’s capacity, capability and indeed its mandate however covers not only steel development but the entire minerals sector. Consequently, the following projects are being undertaken with the objectives of Value addition, wealth and job Creation, poverty alleviation and GDP growth.

Mineralogical Appraisal and Beneficiation Studies of Lead/Zinc Ores in Nigeria.

Recovery of Niobium and Tantalum Oxides from Tin Slags

Utilization of Local Coals as Reducing Agent in Tin Smelting.

Beneficiation of Wereng Camp Clay from Riyom LGC of Plateau State for Production of Fire Clay Refractory Materials

Development/adaptation of Processes for the Production of Lead and Zinc Metals from Local Lead/Zinc Ores

Research Equipment and Facilities at NMDC

Your Royal Majesty sir, several equipment and facilities for the conduct of research are available at the Centre and you will see some of them as you go around during the facility tour. These include several Pilot plants for the conduct of pilot studies including the Mineral Beneficiation Pilot Plant, two 500KG Electric Arc Furnaces, Coke Oven Pilot Plant and the Lead Smelting Pilot Plant among others.

Since my assumption of duties in July, 2018, significant progress had been made. The World Bank, through the Minerals Diversification Fund (MinDiver) domiciled in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development provided some important state of the art research equipment aimed at enhancing research work at the Centre. These equipment are the Scanning Electron Microscope and a Lapping and Polishing Machine which will soon be installed. The World Bank had also intervened in the rehabilitation of several laboratories and workshops for the first time since the 70s when some of the buildings were constructed with asbestos roofing sheets which are dangerous to health and the environment. Furthermore, the ministry’s intervention fund also assisted the Centre in the provision critical research equipment for mineral analysis, a 500 kva stand-by generator, the rehabilitation of the corporate building devastated by rainstorm in 2018 and the construction of an erosion control system to mitigate the destruction of some laboratories, workshops and the landscape of the Centre.

Other achievements since I assumed office include the following:

Clearing of backlog of staff promotion

Streetlighting within NMDC premises

Solar power as alternative power source for research equipment

Collaborations and MoUs with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Tertiary Institutions, etc

Hosting of industrial visits by companies and students

Staff training both locally and abroad for effective and efficient service delivery and

Fostering of industrial harmony in the Centre

NMDC is unique in the sense that it is the only agency in Nigeria equipped to conduct not only mineral characterization analysis and tests but also research and development work for value addition.

Conclusion

YProf Asuquo also inform his Majesty that his visit to the Centre will help to bring to limelight in no small measure the research activities being conducted at the Centre. NMDC’s role as a Research and Development establishment cuts across the entire metallurgical and solid minerals sectors of the economy including other allied sectors. It provides the science and technology inputs for value addition in the mineral processing chain.

It is therefore absolutely necessary to strengthen NMDC in terms of equipment, training and funding to enable it provide the necessary services for the development of the minerals and metal sectors for economic diversification, poverty alleviation, jobs and wealth creation and GDP growth and add to the local economy by providing research and consultancy services to miners and mineral processors domiciled on the Plateau. It is in this light that I will solicit for your majesty’s intervention in seeking for assistance for the Centre from not only the State Government but also the prominent sons of Plateau State at various helms of affairs in Nigeria, especially those at the National Assembly.