In an effort to ensure diversification of the economy, create wealth and grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for sustainable industrialization of the country, the Ministry has initiated programmes and policies geared towards creating synergy between the Federal, States, Local Governments and community leaders as such synergism is imperative to harness the mining benefits that abound in the country.
The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah has stated that this during a sensitization visit to the Executive Governor of Delta State, His Excellency (Senator) Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa on Revenue Generation Optimization in the Minerals Sector, in Asaba Delta State, recently.
According to him, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Director Press & Public Relations Unit, Mrs Etore Thomas stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the Ministry to efficiently develop the mining of 7 priority minerals in the mining roadmap, strengthen collaboration with State Governments and relevant security agencies, introduce incentives to improve the investment climate for mining activities as well as stamp out illegal mining and formalize Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining activities across the country.
He added that the Ministry is determined to actualize its mandate as it would create large number of well-paying jobs for Nigerian youths.
Speaking further, Ogah enjoined the State to take advantage of its strategic position in the mineral and metal sector as it is endowed with abundannc of sand deposits which can be mined and used for construction, glass manufacture, foundry operations and other industrial purposes as well as other solid mineral endowments which abound in the State, including the two integrated Steel Plants in Nigeria, Delta Steel Company located at Aladja near Warri with an installed capacity to produce one million tonnes of liquid Steel for the benefit of Delta State and Nigeria.
The Minister notified the Governor that the Federal Government has commenced the establishment of mineral processing clusters across the six – geopolitical zones of the country, citing the Barite processing cluster for the South – South Zone in Cross River State. Saying “the project was conceived to harness fully, the abundant barite resources in Nigeria and put an end to baryte importation”.
He solicited the Governor’s continuous support towards ensuring information sharing between the State and the Federal Mines Office and the proper functioning of the Delta State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO).
Earlier, the Governor of Delta State, (Senator) Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa stated that a strong collaboration between the Federal Government and the Private Sector would help in the development of the sector.
Okowa who stated that the State has always enjoyed a warm relationship with the Federal Government on issues of mining, commended the Ministry for developing a structured approach to mining, adding that it would leverage on the mining potentials to generate revenue and develop the State.
