Mr Malik Kamila, the Chairman, Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), on Tuesday expressed concern over the neglect of mining sector of the economy in the country.

Kamila in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ilorin noted that the neglect of the sector was affecting industrial growth of the country.

He lamented that gone were the days when mining was one of the mainstays of the country's economy.

He called on the Federal Government to focus greater attention on this crucial sector for necessary industrial growth.

NSE chairman said that mining had been neglected for a long time in the country, saying that any country wishing to attain industrial growth would not neglect its mining sector.

"The mining of known commercial mineral deposits in the country requires strategic approach to ensure that the ongoing revival of the sector is total," he said.

He said that Nigeria, with the largest deposits of minerals such as coal, tin and columbine in the world, the effective mining of the minerals were essential for industrial growth of the country.

Kamila called on the government to revisit the Ajaokuta steel complex to reduce the country's dependence on imported steal.

He advised the Federal Government to provide enabling environment for the country's engineers to showcase their worth.