SOLID MINERALS CENTRE TO BE ESTABLISHED IN KADPOLY

Activities leading to the establishment of Centre of Excellence for Solid Minerals Research and Development in Kaduna Polytechnic have commenced. This followed the meeting of members of research teams in the eight areas of research focus of the Centre in Kaduna.

At a plenary session which took place in Kaduna recently, various teams reviewed the research areas and developed the Detailed Proposal Documents (DPDs), as well as deliberated on the four textbooks to be published and the new Journal for Minerals Research and Development to be launched.

Speaking earlier at the opening ceremony, the Acting Rector of the institution, Mrs. Yuwanna Mivanyi, noted that the Centre of Excellence for Solid Minerals Research and Development was funded from grants provided by the World Bank under the Science and Technology Education Project at the Post-Basic (STEP-B) Project Level.

The event was organised by Kaduna Polytechnic, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences, Jos, Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State, the Federal Polytechnic, Nassarawa, Nassarawa State and the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State.

The Acting Rector said the event came at a time the country needed refocusing of its solid minerals sector. She therefore urged all participants to give their support to the centre so that it would achieve the desired objectives.

She acknowledged the diversity and spread of the team members, which she said would bring the necessary synergy for the development and sustainability of the centre.

'This in turn will ensure that the substantial minerals, with which Nigeria is endowed, could be used to make enormous contribution toward poverty reduction and sustainable growth for the nation,' she added.