Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Oladele Alake says the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to ensuring that the solid mineral sector becomes the biggest revenue generation hub of the nation.
He disclosed this during the 22 Annual General Meeting and International Conference of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers in Kaduna State.
Alake promised to make the solid minerals sector the Noah’s ark that would take the country out of the deluge of its economic challenges.
He said that “the seven-point agenda of the present administration is geared towards promoting the public-private company that will galvanise financial and physical access to government in the sector.”
“It is now that our country needs patriotic and scientific contributions than at any other time, where all hands must be on deck to realise the vision of the Tinubu-led administration, aiming at making solid mineral the biggest revenue generation hub among all sectors in the economic structure of Nigeria,” the Minister explained.
Alake therefore enjoined all stakeholders at the conference to be patriotic, saying “the President is determined to take the nation out of its present situation.”
“I wish to enjoin your society to be seen and heard in this historic process of rejuvenation and resurgence of the sector that will mature hitherto; our doors are open to ideas and proposals, and we shall re-evaluate all of them and shall reflect with our professional alacrity,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, in a communique jointly signed by the President and Secretary General of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers, Benson Jatau and Tony Ojile enjoined the government to embrace PPP in its bids for industrial development to attract private expertise for service delivery enhancement.
The duo called on the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to as a matter of urgency resolve the challenge of state interference with the Ministry’s statutory regulatory functions, as otherwise would erode the authority of the Minister which tends to drive away private mining investors.
The communique read that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concession will make the private sector concessionaire responsible for the full delivery of specified production and infrastructure services.”
“Government should intensify efforts in providing an enabling environment to attract investors into the mining sector for PPP agreement especially as it concerns fully explored strategic mineral deposits,” the Society advised.
The communique tasked the Nigerian government on Public Private Partnership, while also urging it and private investors to ensure due diligence before consummating any form of agreement.
According to the communique, the government should make deliberate efforts to implement established roadmaps to fast-track the development of minerals industry.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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