By Francis Adinoyi Kadiri
Abuja
The Director General of the National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos, Professor Ibrahim Madugu yesterday said existing laws in the country’s metals sector are very good, a quality he said makes the sector very attractive for local and foreign investments.
The Director General who spoke to Blueprint in an exclusive interview in Abuja lauded extanct laws in the country’s metals sector. “If you have well-defined laws guiding the Nigerian metals sector, we will be able to streamline the activities of people in that sector,” he said adding that the laws the law defines what is legal “and therefore what is illegal is also defined.”
While explaining that chemicals are applied in the production of metals, Madugu, who is a professor of metallurgical engineering, said the application of chemicals is done by factory staff who works for the producers. “The staff who is at risk needs to be protected by laws in order to guarantee his safety,”he said adding that if quality metals should be produced, there should be regulations that will address issues of poor safety.
“When there is no safety assurance, there will not be sufficient output on the part of laboursers, as such, the quality of metals will be jeopardized by the fears of insecurity,” he said.
According to him, the laws existing now are adequate although they could be strengthened as time goes on, adding that if extant laws are well implemented, it will evolve best results for the metallurgical sector.
Speaking on the potency of the laws to attract foreign investments, Madugu said: if you do not have laws that protect investments, no investor will be attracted to the sector.
He further said: There are laws guiding the petroleum industry. The metallurgical sector also needs laws to guide its operations and development. If investors know that the sector is well organised, it will encourage investors to come from abroad to invest in the sector.
The DG said the recent move to support the development of metallurgical manpower development in the University of Jos is set to deliver the goals. The MoU with the University of Jos was to the effect that the special facilities at the NMDC will be made available to the University of Jos for training of students on metals production.