By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
As part of its contribution to the development of women and the less privileged in mining, a private-driven international organisation, Minerals and Mining Centre (MMC), has introduced a women-focused knowledge-gap-bridging internship programme for which individuals from whatever backgrounds that want to carve a niche for themselves in the solid minerals and mining sector in Nigeria are being registered.
The Country Director, MMC, Dr Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, who disclosed this in an interview, said the centre was reaching out to women applicants in diverse fields to enrol for its ongoing internship recruitment programmes scheduled to take off in Nigeria in a few weeks, a statement made available to SUMMIT POST said.
Women groups including NGOs and individuals are already taking advantage of the capacity building internship programme slots in Nigeria, according to the statement.
“Expertise gaps have been identified as the significant stumbling block to progress in the sector. These gaps have become a major disadvantage for both men and women operating or intending to operate in the sector.
“There is know-how deficit in both technical and non-technical angles to the solid minerals business. Capacity is needed in management, administration, IT, Statistics, data science and trade standards amongst others. Major technical capabilities can be improved upon for efficient and effective exploration, beneficiation, and other expert components that should make mining economically viable for all stakeholders including governments, the private sector, and host communities.
“Structural capacity on the part of governments and how the private sector institutions are to be run also needs a boost. Without capacity we are handicapped. There can be no progress. It’s like blindness. The difference between success and failure is in knowledge and applicability of same.”
“This is our way of contributing to the sector regarding training and building capacity of women and youths to learn about mineral processing, gemstones tumbling cutting polishing and faceting, mineral processing, amongst other skills they will learn,”Dr Asokoro-Ogaji explained.
According to her, women in the field of chemical engineering, mining engineering, Civil and mechanical Engineering are encouraged to enroll for the internship, even as non-mining experts capable of providing services to the mining sector could also avail the opportunity of the internship programme.
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Speaking further, she said, “We have identified a few institutions to work with in Nigeria. Harnessing potentials that already exist and stirring awareness and interest in the solid minerals for our people to key in and boost their income and purchasing power as women and men alike.
“On a personal note, as an environmentalist and a chemist, I am passionate about responsible mining standards that consider the source of the resource, the environment, the communities and it’s people. Capacity strengthening first takes place at individual levels, organisational levels and then at societal levels. All levels are crucial for growth.
“This agenda underpins the vision of MMC, which is to strengthen production, trade, technical knowledge and social linkages in the solid minerals sector in Nigeria. This will by the grace of God lead to greater wealth creation and ownership by Nigerians.”
