The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and the National Metallurgical Development Centre have signed a memorandum of Understanding to work together to reconstruct the iron and steel sector and other industries across the federation.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Engr. Mohammed Sani Haruna, on Tuesday in Jos, while signing the MoU said that for industrialization to become sustainable in any country, the steel, iron and tools required to build the machines that are needed to sustain both the productive and manufacturing capacities of the country to a large extent, must be developed locally.
He reiterated that the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) Jos was established as a research and development organisation with the mandate to carry out research and development activities for the metallurgical and allied industries for the growth of the nation’s solid minerals sector
He added that while NASENI has the mandate of providing research and developmental works in the areas of capital goods, machines and equipment for the purpose of developing a home-grown and home-sustained industrial development of the country.
Haruna said, “Without the full participation of NMDC and the metallurgical development subsector of the economy, it is extremely difficult to industrialize Nigeria.”
Also, the Executive Vice-Chairman disclosed that the newly signed MoU between NASENI and NMDC was to provide a threshold for the resuscitation of Nigeria’s iron and steel sector and the beginning of the genuine revitalization of Nigeria’s industrial sector.
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He said “The NMDC is the real development centre to make our nation economically viable and the MoU between the Centre and NASENI today is to put the sustainable development of the manufacturing industry on the right track.”
He added that ”the reason why many of the Nigerian industries are not viable is because the backing of the local iron, steel and tools, machines and equipment are not home-grown nor home-sustained innovations available. We keep importing everything into Nigeria and no nation can develop that way.”
Haruna said the working collaborations at the instance of the MoU between NASENI and NMDC had been instituted to provide a solid foundation for the steel and iron sector of Nigeria to flourish because the subsector is the very foundation for the manufacturing sector of the country to prosper.
While signing the MoU, the Director General/CE of NMDC, Prof. Linus Asukwo, who signed the document on behalf of the centre thanked the Executive Vice-Chairman of NASENI and Management for the leadership in promoting the science, technology and innovation sector of the Nigerian economy.
He referred to the EVC/CE NASENI as an uncommon reformer while commending the various technology strides attained so far by the agency under the leadership of Prof.M.S Haruna.
However, the MoU contained some of terms of reference which include equipment and facilities support in the areas of Metallurgy research and development, minerals research and development, analytical and environmental services, consultancy services in metallurgy, mineral processing, analytical and environmental related issues, capacity building equipment and machine design, fabrication, spares and component parts production, equipment and machinery maintenance, repairs and training, supply of research equipment and shared facilities, joint research and development and commercial ventures and other areas as may be determined by both parties.
