General News
Don Wants Geoscientists at the Policy Table
The Immediate Past President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, NMGS, Professor Akinade Shadrach Olatunji, has called for greater involvement of geoscientists in policy formulation and national development planning to help Nigeria tackle challenges in infrastructure, water security, food production, energy and environmental protection.
Olatunji said decisions concerning land, water resources, minerals, infrastructure and the environment require sound knowledge of the earth, stressing that geoscientists should therefore play a more active role in government planning and policy decisions.
He made the call in Ibadan while presenting a paper titled, “Roles of Geosciences in Attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals,” at a Professional Training and Continuing Education programme for geologists.
The former President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, NMGS, said effective use of geoscience information was critical to Nigeria’s efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
He explained that geosciences provide vital information about the earth’s surface and subsurface, which could guide government in planning sustainable communities and developing critical infrastructure.
According to him, disciplines such as hydrology, geophysics and geochemistry provide scientific information needed to address challenges relating to water supply, agriculture, energy, environmental protection and public health.
Olatunji said geological surveys could help identify reliable groundwater sources, assess soil fertility and detect harmful elements in soil and water before they cause serious health and environmental problems.
He noted that geotechnical investigations were equally important in determining the stability and suitability of sites for buildings, roads, bridges, dams and other infrastructure.
The don said the application of geoscience data could also improve agricultural planning by providing information on soil characteristics, water availability and other factors that influence food production.
He added that geoscience information was important to energy development, including the exploration of critical minerals needed for renewable energy technologies and the global transition to cleaner energy.
Olatunji stressed that Nigeria must strengthen the generation, storage, updating and utilisation of geoscience data if the country is to achieve sustainable and evidence-based development.
He urged government to treat geoscience data as a strategic national asset and ensure that reliable geological information is readily available to policymakers, investors, researchers and development planners.
The don also recommended that the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, be removed from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and established as an autonomous agency under the Presidency.
He said placing the agency under the Presidency would enhance its capacity to coordinate geological data generation and make the information more useful for national development planning.
Olatunji further proposed that at least 50 per cent of the Natural Resources Development Fund be allocated annually to the acquisition of geoscience data in areas critical to the attainment of the SDGs.
He also called for the establishment of standalone geological services offices in all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to provide reliable geological information for development planning.
The university don advocated stronger collaboration among government agencies, universities, professional bodies and the private sector in generating and applying geoscience information to address national challenges.
He further stressed the importance of continuous professional training for geologists and other geoscience professionals, saying they must remain abreast of emerging technologies, modern techniques and global best practices.
Olatunji maintained that investment in geosciences should go beyond mineral exploration, noting that the discipline has a wider role to play in addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.