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The State Department of Mining has taken a significant step towards advancing Kenya’s mining sector by engaging with the Geologists Registration Board (GRB) in a bid to strengthen its operational capacity and enhance the professional standards for geologists in the country.
Principal Secretary for Mining, Elijah Mwangi, emphasized the pivotal role that professional bodies like the GRB play in fostering technical knowledge and developing a highly-skilled workforce essential for specialized fields. Speaking during an interactive session with GRB members, PS Mwangi underscored the importance of the board’s revitalization in supporting the accelerated growth of geological professionals across Kenya.
“Our discussions focused on ways of transforming the GRB into a robust entity that can effectively support the professional development of geologists,” Mwangi said. “This revitalized board will not only enhance the professional capacity for geologists but also allow for their strategic placement in diverse fields, including mega construction projects, road building, and dam construction.”
Mwangi highlighted the critical role that geologists play in national development, noting their expertise is indispensable in several sectors vital to Kenya’s economic growth. These sectors include groundwater tapping, mining, power generation, and infrastructure development.
“Geologists are critical assets for national development. Their expertise is an integral component in fields that are at the heart of economic growth, such as mining, power generation, construction, and road building,” Mwangi stated.
The PS welcomed the dedication and efforts of the GRB members, who have committed to revitalizing the board, which Mwangi described as a “sleeping giant.” He assured them of the State Department’s full support in their endeavors to position the GRB as a key player in providing technical guidance and ensuring professional standards are upheld within the geological field.
“As a State Department, we are ready and keen to support all activities geared towards placing the GRB at a strategic position where it will effectively offer technical guidance and entrench professional standards for geologists in Kenya,” Mwangi concluded.
The engagement with the GRB is part of broader reforms aimed at accelerating the growth of the mining sector in Kenya, which is increasingly seen as a critical component of the country’s economic transformation agenda.
