By Victoria Onehi
The Minister of State for Steel Development Uba Maigari Ahmadu, has said the development of the Minerals and Metals Sector is crucial to the economic growth of the country.
The Minister disclosed this in his good will message at the 5th Council on Mining and Minerals Resources Development (NCMMRD), held in Ilorin, Kwara State, between Monday 15th-Wednesday 17th January 2024,
In a statement, Ahmadu urged stakeholders to be committed to using the sector to help navigate Nigeria to higher levels of economic and infrastructural development.
The Minister noted that the 5th National Council on Mining and Minerals Development have provided the perfect platform for stakeholders to forge efficient partnerships and chart a path forward that will translate the nation’s minerals and metals ambitions into profitable action that would be the envy of Africa and a powerhouse for the nation’s economic transformation.
He also emphasized the importance of developing the minerals and metals sector, stating that the sector stands as the backbone of modern infrastructure, industrial development and the foundation upon which countless other sectors thrive.
“Building a thriving Nigerian minerals and metals industry is not just an economic imperative; it is a national imperative, job creating, empowering communities, and laying the groundwork for a self-reliant, diversified economy”. Ahmadu said.
Speaking at the occasion, the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, said the the State readily accepted to host the Council as the theme “Minerals and Metal: A Panacea for Economic Growth and Diversification”, aligns completely with the Economic Agenda of the State.
He added.that Kwara is blessed with abundant viable mineral resources as each of the 16 Local Government Areas in the State has at least six different minerals in commercial quantities.
Abdulrazaq revealed that as part of efforts to maximise the minerals and metals potentials of the State, the administration has recently registered five (5) Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and also plans to establish a standard mineral market in the State, where all minerals mined from the State will first be registered before they are transported to other places.
He appealed to the Ministers and the Directors Generals of the Agency in the Ministries to give the State all necessary assistance to help it actualise its dream of becoming a major minerals and metals producing State in the country.
The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Ministry of Steel Development, Dr. Mary A Ogbe, expressed gratitude to the Government of Kwara State for hosting the Council as well as to all participants for making the meeting a success.
She said the valuable insights, experiences, and perspectives at the meeting would contribute to formulation of effective Policies and Strategies for the sector. She assured of the Ministries commitment to ensure that the recommendations reached at the Council are executed.
