The Chairman, Governing Board of National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Jos, Dr Sabastian Ibezim has harped on the importance of steel industry to the growth of nation.

The Chairman made this assertion while answering questions from Journalists after the Board’s regular meeting at the centre.

He noted that Nigeria is blessed to have NMDC as a Solid Mineral Research and Development Centre with the right facilities to revamp the economy through beneficial metallurgical processes.

Ibezim applauded the creative and revolutionary strides of the Director General/Chief Executive of the center Engr. Prof. Linus Asuquo and his team for bringing the centre to an international standard within one year of his leadership.

He called on the federal government and investors to harness the potential of the centre to move the metal and Steel industry to enviable height.

Dr Ibezim decried poor funding of the center by the Federal Government as the major challenge militating against the rapid development of the centre.

The Chairman appealed to the government to increase the financial subventions to the centre which according to him will motivate the DG/CE and his team to do more in their developmental strides.

Earlier the Director- General/Chief Executive of NMDC, Jos, Engr. Prof Linus Asuquo while welcoming the board members on their two-day regular meeting, 27th to 28th Nov. 2019, thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for fishing out and appointing men of credible and visionary qualities to steer the boat of the center as board members.

He said that with the resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company in sight, it is pertinent to have more investors, Institution of higher learning and similar research institutes to partner with the Center in order to give Ajaokuta the needed assistance when fully operational.