Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, has said that the decision of the Federal Government to diversify from hydrocarbon to making the minerals sector a major contributor to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) was the nation’s contribution to climate change drive.
Alake stated this when he received a delegation of the Miners Association of Nigeria, led by their national president, Dele Ayanleke. The delegation comprised representatives of the VUKA group, co-organiser of the forthcoming Nigeria Mining Week and Price Waterhouse Coopers, an accounting firm.
A statement signed by Alaba Balogun, head, of press and public relations of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, said that the minister, who commended the association for its recommendations and consistent role in organising the Mining Week, a shift a mono-cultural economy to solid minerals was long overdue.
“Our vision is to make solid minerals our pride, a major contributor to Nigeria’s gross domestic product. We will diversify from oil, to exploit it for the survival of Nigeria. This is our contribution to climate change,” he said.
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The minister emphasised that the Ministry was committed to making requisite policies that would sanitise and rejig the regulatory framework and make it more conducive for local and foreign investors to play.
On the incursion of the second tier of government into mining, Alake stressed that the Federal Government would engage the state and local governments with a view to resolving surrounding issues within the ambit of the law.
Speaking on securing the mining sector environment for maximum yield to the Federal Government, the minister disclosed that high-end technology would be deployed coupled with an inter-agency task force to arrest the menace completely.
He, therefore, sought a partnership with the Miners Association of Nigeria to strengthen capacity in this regard for the growth and repositioning of the sector.
In his remarks, Ayanleke expressed assurance that the seven-point agenda unfolded by the minister of solid minerals would consolidate and enhance the sector for maximum contribution to national development.
