Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah has called for increased funding of the sector.
Ogah said this in Abuja when management staff of the ministry and its agencies appeared before the House Committee on Steel to defend the 2018 and 2019 budget expenditure.
According to him, the ministry ensured prudent use of the funds appropriated to it within the period under review.
He also appealed to the committee to extend its oversight function to Ministry of Finance so that appropriated funds be adequately released to the ministry.
He said activities in minerals and metals sector are capital intensive.
He said the ministry had embarked on deployment of ICT in its operations with the Integrated Automation and Interactive Solid Minerals Web Portal, geared towards ensuring timely and efficient service delivery in a manner that would increase revenue generation.
He thanked the committee for their interventions and oversight of the ministry.
Earlier, committee chairman Hon Halims Ali Abdullahi said the essence of the budget defence was for the committee to interact with the ministry and its agencies, especially in respect of funds released to ensure accountability; and to be abreast of the MoU signed with the Russian Government on Ajeokuta Steel Company Limited .
