By Goodluck Ikiebe
PhotoNews:4th Right is the Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals Devpt., Dr. Oladele Alake; Extreme Right is Engr. Simon Nkom, Director-General, Mining Cadastre Office; 3rd Right is the National President, Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala supported by other members of the delegation.
Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake, says that the Solid Minerals, which the country is endowed with in abundance, will be a resurrection tool to revamp the economy, just as he affirmed that the present administration is shifting attention from hydro-carbon.
Dr. Alake gave the indication when a delegation of Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines led by its National President, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala, paid him a courtesy visit in his Office at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Elaborating further, the Minister stated that the Ministry has initiated several deliberate policies and programmes, which are geared towards achieving set objectives for economic prosperity; as outlined in the roadmap that was recently released to the public.
Dr Alake noted that the establishment of the Solid Minerals Corporation and promotion of public private ventures is crucial to these objectives, adding that, it will ensure sustainability, increase revenue accruable to government, with a significant contribution to the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He further acknowledged the importance of security of investors, which according to him, is crucial to achieving the Ministry’s vision of repositioning and sanitizing the minerals sector for maximum contribution to the nation’s socio-economic development under the present administration’s renewed hope agenda.
To this end, he said the Ministry is committed to establishing a multi- agency task force that will put a stop to the activities of illegal Miners and their collaborators.
‘’The government will come down firmly on these unscrupulous foreign operators sponsoring banditry to perpetrate illegal mining; let me use this medium to appeal through you to tell those Sponsors to desist or face the full wrath of the law,’’ the Minister warned.
The Minister restated that the Government has given illegal miners 30-days grace, stressing that, it is not a punitive measure but a way to formalize and make them legitimate to continue in their trade.
He also explained that the aim is to streamline and structure the Small Scale Artisanal Miners for maximum yield to the Federal Government.
Speaking earlier, the National President, Nigeria – China Chamber of Mines, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala, informed the Minister that their visit is to celebrate his appointment as Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
The Association, he stated, has proferred ideas and suggestions to the Ministry; that will advance and grow the sector for socio-economic development of the country.
“Some of which include improving data synergy between the Mining Cadastral Office and Nigeria Geological Survey Agency”, he remarked.
