Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) President, Dr Ebenezer Damisa, has stressed the need for Nigeria to strengthen its mining institutions to curb illegal importation of raw materials as the country still imports 75 per cent of its gypsum required for cement production.

According to Dr Damisa, “As at today about 75 per cent of the requirement of gypsum used for cement production is still imported into the country and we think that the money used to the importation, if given to local miners, will produce more and after a while there won’t be need for importing.

“Not much proper mining is going on today most mining activities going on in the country today are carried out by artisanal miners, but what we require to move on are big time mining companies that should come in and then contribute much more to the government. The artisanal miners do not pay taxes, but big companies must because they are the ones known and from their activities will have money to generate revenue for the government," said Dr Damisa.

The NSE president highlighted the need for government to be committed to implementing the road map to develop the sector as well as to ensure the effective disbursement of the NGN30bn solid minerals development fund.