The knowledge he gained and the Membership of the National Institute (MNI) he just bagged from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) have further empowered and exposed him to greater efficiency in his professional calling and networking at various levels of society.
Engr Odoom who stated this in an exclusive chat with The Rock Post said the Senior Executive Course at NIPSS, attended by top ranking citizens from different walks of life “has the propensity to impact greatly on the professional prowess of anyone, especially in the areas of policy, strategy and high level thinking which are critical to driving efficiency in any system. So it will hugely impact on my professional prowess as a mining engineer”.
In a country where opportune citizens are migrating by the day to other countries in search of greener pastures (the Japa syndrome, as it is called in local parlance), Odoom demonstrated a high level of patriotism and willingness to serve his fatherland when he said as a civil servant and mining engineer, he considers himself having something to give back to the system, especially seeing the new windows of opportunities that are opening in the mining sector where his is a professional.
“Well, as a serving civil servant and a mining engineer by profession, I still consider myself having something to give back to the system, especially as training at NIPSS does not come cheap by any estimation.
“More so, I feel very excited with the recent news about Rio Tinto’s $20 billion investment in iron ore mining in Guinea(the highest mining investment globally). This investment decision is usually driven by geology, which is predicated on data. That is why I am very bullish about the federal government’s cooperation with the German government on mineral exploration.
“Another point of note is United Nations Environmental Programme statement that to stay below 2°C by 2050, we will need over three billion tonnes of energy transition minerals and metals to deploy wind, solar, energy storage and more. This is a huge opportunity for developing countries like ours with these metals and minerals to invest in sustainable development.
“This shows that there are huge opportunities in this sector for Africa and Nigeria and I still believe I have a role to play in achieving our collective goals and aspirations towards a shared prosperity.
“Overall, I will consider my next move after my retirement from service.”
On how he got nominated for the prestigious course, the mining expert described it as a devine intervention and he was somewhat surprised.
“All I can say is that the nomination must have emanated from the ministry to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service (OHSC), then to the Presidency. We were eight directors in number that benefited from this course 45, 2023 from OHCS,” he said.
Engr Odoom recalled his experience at the institute, saying it was so challenging, engaging, and disciplinary in nature, but worth the while, adding that the institute remains a befitting centre for policy, research, and reflection for a better society.
“It took 10 months to complete the course at the institute.
Well, it was a little challenging because you have to subject yourself to the rules and regulations of the institute irrespective of your status or rank, there was strict timing for everything, such as early morning workout, lectures, syndicate work, presentations, even feeding and the Directing Staff (made up of a combination of military and civilians) were so strict with punctuality and attendance.
“It actually makes a great deal of difference as I am now more knowledgeable in areas of policy formulation, implementation and strategic planning.
“I am also a member of the alumni of the institute which opens one up to strategic networking for enhanced efficiency,” he said, even as he revealed since the institute was established in 1979, Membership of the National Institute (mni) is still below 3,000,” he said.
Odoom, who was conferred with the mni honour, alongside 96 other graduates of NIPSS Senior Executive Course 45, had distinguished himself as a mining engineer in the minerals and mining sector of the Federal Public Service and attracted remarkable development to the sector and the country through his stewardships both at home and abroad.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Odoom was appointed Acting Director, Department of Mines Inspectorate in the then Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, an appointment which took effect from April 1, 2019.
Prior to his appointment as Acting Director of Mines Inspectorate, he had served meritoriously as Deputy Project Coordinator of the World Bank-assisted Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification project (MinDiver).
A COMEG & COREN (Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria)-registered mining engineer and Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers, he earned eminence for his professional contribution to the development of the industry he joined in April 1996.
He rose through the ranks to be appointed Director on 1st January, 2020 while successfully dispensing various field and administrative responsibilities, a post he held until his merit-based nomination as a participant for the Senior Executive Course 45, 2023 of the National Institute.
A mining engineer par excellence, he earned the confidence of stakeholders through his professional antecedents in the country’s mining sector; he successfully headed the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Mining, while also serving as Head, Explosives Division of the Mines Inspectorate Department, before he was seconded to the World Bank project as Deputy Project Coordinator in 2017.
In all this, it is without doubt that Engr Odoom has a wide-range of experience to be harnessed for the development of the Nigerian mining sector.
Odoom urged professional bodies in the mining domain – COMEG, NMGS, etc. to apply for slots for our members to participate in future senior executive courses at the institute, stressing that the knowledge and networking opportunities offered is enormous and would be highly rewarding to the sector.
