The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, has assured staff and agencies of the ministry of effective support to boost mining activities for national development.

Ogbe gave the assurance during a familiarisation visit to the various agencies under the ministry, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Permanent Secretary visited the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) and the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).

She said that the essence of the visit was to have a holistic view of their programmes and activities with a view to enhancing the sector for national development.

Ogbe gave the assurance that the ministry would totally support the agencies to enable them reach higher heights, which would positively impact on national growth and the development of the citizenry.

She lauded the efforts being put in place by the agencies to ensure the effective discharge of their assigned duties to enable them to achieve the ministry’s mandates and objectives.

The Permanent Secretary said that the effort was to realise the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government.

Ogbe urged the agencies to collaborate with one another for the common goal of national development and to change the narrative of the mining industry.

Speaking, the Director-General of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), Mr Obadiah Nkom, appreciated the kind gesture of the Permanent Secretary for making out time from her tight schedule to visit.

Nkom said that the agencies were working together to ensure that they achieved their goals and objectives, as well as in making sure that the mining industry is improved effectively.

”We are committed and we solicit the support of the ministry to ameliorate the challenges bedeviling efforts toward the development of the agencies.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria