BY AKUDORO GLORIA
The Hon Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has solicited for legislative support that will entrench local value addition in the mineral sector.
He claimed that this would generate massive employment and benefit to communities that are rich in mineral resources.
Dr Alake stated this during an oversight visit by the House Committee on Solid Minerals led by its Chairman, Honourable Jonathan Gbefwi to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Abuja on Tuesday, according to the statement signed by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations.
Bringing the visitors up-to-date on the recent activities and programmes of the ministry, the Minister explained that value addition and mineral processing as a key point of the Ministry’s 7-point agenda, offers enormous benefits to a mineral endowed country like Nigeria by providing jobs and maximizing natural resources.
He alluded to his recent successful promotional tours to mining conferences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Cape Town, South Africa, to canvass for local value addition.
Continuing, Dr. Alake informed House Committee members that the campaign led to the coalition that gave rise to the African Minerals Strategy Group ( AMSG) and his unanimous election as it’s pioneer Chairman.
He said, ”The era of carting away solid minerals without commensurate value addition is over”.
In his remarks, the Minister further emphasized the primacy and centrality of security to achieving economic development in the country citing the recent meeting of the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on securing our natural resources and the launch of a new security outifit by the Interior Minister, using the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps to combat illegal mining.
”It cannot be overstated that security is a national issue, securing lives and property before business is paramount in our seven point agenda”, the Honourable Minister asserted.
Commenting on the existing relationship, Dr Alake said: “I have had very robust relationship with the leader of this Committee, robust engagement: that is why I view your visit today with all sense of propriety: with the warm relationship, support is accorded and together we achieve our stated goals”.
Speaking, the Chairman House Committee on Solid Minerals, Hon Jonathan Gbefwi asserted that the visit to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development fulfills its oversight duty. ”We are empowered by the Constitution to do oversight, to ensure the executive perform its duty. We intend to stretch to the limit, “the Chairman stated.
Elaborating, Hon. Gbefwi said the importance of the mineral sector to the economy cannot be overemphasized. It is the only sector that can rescue Nigeria from its economic doldrum’.’
He added that the committee would do all that is needed to support the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to bring the sector to its glorious heights.
Delivering vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe stated that the collaborative efforts between the House Committee and the ministry reflect a shared commitment to harnessing the nation’s mineral resources for economic development and diversification.
