Kwara partners owned varsity on minerals sector dev.

The Kwara State Government has again reiterated its commitment to working with the Kwara State University, (KWASU), Malete and the University of Ilorin on forging collaborative efforts with the academia to develop the solid minerals sector of the State.

The Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Dr Afeez Abolore Alabi disclosed this while speaking at the campuses of the two Universities.

At the Department of Geology and Minerals Science of KWASU, the Commissioner emphasized the need for the University to support the Government by bringing up past researches identified to be relevant to knowledge in order to aid the ongoing repositioning efforts of the solid minerals sector by the State Government.

In his response, the University’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof.Sheikh Lukman Jimoh represented by the University’s Librarian, Prof. Abdulsalam Abiodun Salman, welcomed the team from the Ministry and appreciated the Commissioner for the novel and laudable move of visiting the University for possible synergy in designing a sustainable road map for the solid minerals sector of the State.

He enthused that collaboration with the university would help to boost the socio- economic development of the State and contribute to the potential increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Kwara.

The Head of the Department of Geology and Minerals Science, Dr. Ajadi Jimoh who shared his broad experience in class and on the field, called for necessary policies and regulations to be put in place by the State Government.

He promised their readiness to collaborate with the Government and called for a think-tank team to be inaugurated to herald the kind of growth and development anticipated by the State Government in the mining sector.

Similarly, the Head of Geology Department at the University of Ilorin, Professor Olabisi Adekeye said Kwara was blessed with abundant mineral resources with great revenue potentials, if properly harnessed.

He, therefore, thanked the State Government and reiterated the institution’s readiness to synergize with the Ministry in order to move solid minerals development to the next level.

Also speaking at the department, Prof.Olusegun Ige, appreciated the State Government for appointing a vibrant and result oriented Academic as the Commissioner who is prepared to turn the fortunes of the Ministry around.

He further explained that minerals deposits are available in abundance across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State, urging the Government to urgently maximize the potentials of the sector for revenue drive.

Adeleke and Ige thanked the Commissioner and his team for taking a bold step to visit the Department and promised their readiness to support the State Government in promoting mining activities in the state.

The Director Geological Services, Mr Kunle Adimula thanked the two institutions for the warm reception accorded them and their resolve to support the Ministry, reiterating that the ongoing efforts by the Ministry to secure enabling law to back mining operations in the State would yield the desired results in no time.