The Director General/Chief Executive of National Metallurgical Development Center (NMDC), Jos, Engr. Professor Linus Asuquo has canvassed for coordinated manpower development in the country, noting that it is a major catalyst for economic emancipation.

Professor Asuquo spoke when a team from National Space Research and Development Agency Abuja paid a visit to the Center.

Asuquo recalled that the Metallurgical Center in Jos was upgraded by Act No 50 of 1992 though it was established in 1973.

According to him the main purpose of the center is to upgrade Nigeria low- grade ores and minerals, through beneficiation technique thereby extracting the mineral content for economic sufficiency and reduction of importation of metals and minerals available into Nigeria.

He explained that the Center has the potential to train many Nigeria youths and students in all aspects of metallurgical and allied industries which will empower them to add value to the overall mineral and metal sector.

He said that the Center is open to collaborations from all institutions of learning: Federal, States’ institutions; corporate organisations interested in building manpower and technical know-how in mineral and metallurgical sector.

He reiterated that the metallurgical laboratories, plants and expert Engineers in the Center are better than the ones outside the shores of Nigeria.

A statement by Sunny Eweama,
Head (Press and Public Relation) of the Centre, quoted Prof. Asuquo of appealing to the Federal Government to pay more attention to the centre to achieve the economic diversification drive.

In his own remark, the Director General/Chief Executive of National Space Research and Development Agency (NSRDA) , Abuja, Professor Spencer Onuh extolled Prof. Asuquo for his efforts in making the centre the hub of industrialization not only for Nigeria but Africa in general.

He said that his purpose of visit was to see things for himself and to collaborate with the centre in the area of material characterization which according to him is the best in Africa.

He said that most of the research and laboratory equipments he saw during his facility tour at the centre were capable of repositioning Nigeria in the global map of mineral and metallurgical recognition.

Prof Onu called on federal government, National Board for Technical Education and relevant public and private organizations to leverage on the opportunities available at NMDC Jos in relation to technical and manpower development.