FG sets up committee on bitumen exploration to drive wealth creation

bitumen exploration

The Federal Government has set up a committee to work out modalities on the exploration and exploitation of bitumen resources in the country as part of the administration’s efforts to diversify the economy and create wealth for its huge unemployed population.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, who inaugurated the 9-man Committee on the development of Bitumen Resources, on Friday in Abuja, said bitumen is an important component mineral resource needed for road construction that is in abundance, which the country can explore and exploit for economic development.

Adegbite disclosed that Nigeria has an estimated reserve of about 42.74 billion metric tons of bitumen along the States of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, which remained majorly untapped for years.

Membership of the Committee which is chaired by the Director-General, Mining Cadastre Office, Simon Nkom, was drawn from staff of relevant Departments in the Ministry and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The Committee, which has 2 weeks to submit its report has the following terms of reference: Collate and study previous reports on development of Bitumen in Nigeria; identify current title holders and the level of exploration or exploitation; determine available bitumen reserves and recommend criteria for allocation of available reserves and ways of developing the resource to ensure maximum benefits for the country.