Don seeks greater roles for geoscientists In policy making

The Immediate President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Prof. 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.

He made the call in Ibadan, Oyo State, 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.

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.

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.

According to him, geosciences provide vital information about the earth’s surface and subsurface, which could guide government in planning sustainable communities and developing critical infrastructure.

He said that disciplines like hydrology, geophysics and geochemistry provide scientific information needed to address challenges relating to water supply, agriculture, energy, environmental protection and public health.

He 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.

Olatunji 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 also said 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.

He noted 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.

Olatunji 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.

He 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.

Olatunji 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.