Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development says it will commence airborne survey in 19 states of the country in September. It is aimed at bridging the geo-data gap with higher resolution and detailed information on geology.
The General Manager, Nigerian Mining Cadastre Officer, Engr Obadiah Nkom made this known when he led a team from the Ministry on courtesy visit to Kaduna State Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe in Kaduna.
Nkom said the Project Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MINDIVER) is a world bank supported project under the ministry which will embark on the survey covering 119 Local government councils.
According to him, the survey is expected to last the period of eight months across the selected states so as to determine accurate mineral locations using modern-day ferromagnetic mechanism.
Investment and wealth creation
He further revealed that the survey will also lead to the discovery of several minerals in various parts of the country that will promote investment in the sector and boost employment opportunities and wealth creation.
The General Manager disclosed that two Local government councils have been identified in Kaduna state namely; Sanga and Jama’a for the high resolution airborne geographic survey.
Nkom said the exercise entails extensive geological data collection using low flying aircraft with specialized survey equipment.
He therefore called on the State and the Local government councils that will be covered by the survey not to panic either as a result of loud noise or of low flying aircraft altitude.
Human resource development
While giving his remarks, the Managing Director, Kaduna Mining Development Company Limited, Dr Muhammed Usaini commended the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for being supportive of Kaduna State to develop it’s potentials in human resources.
Usaini said the State has secured about 37 mineral titles across the state, stressing that, they have already signed an MOU with solid minerals development funds, an agency supporting mining development.
“This will also bring about a program that is very essential and important which is called ‘PAGMI’. It is a Presidential assistance gold mining initiative that will translate additional activities of gold into gold reserve that will be purchased directly by Central Bank of Nigeria”, he said.
Government support
In her response, the Acting Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe assured the team of government’s support for the success of the program in the state.
She mentioned that the project is for the good of the people. “We are appreciative of the Ministry’s decision and interest to conduct the survey in Kaduna and we will render our support with every available resources”.
Balarabe urged the Ministry to not only map out the already existing mineral but to also, discover new ones in the state.
“We believe we have very vast potentials which have not been tapped into”, she added.
The States the survey would be carried include Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Kogi,and Eboyi.
Others are Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Niger, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi States and the FCT respectively.
Nneka Ukachukwu
