The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake has reiterated the Federal government’s commitment to diversify from hydrocarbon to make the minerals sector a major contributor to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) as part of efforts to mitigate climate change.
Dr Alake stated this when he received a delegation of the Miners Association of Nigeria, led by the National President, Mr Dele Ayanleke in preparation of the forthcoming Mining Week.
While commending the Association for its recommendations and consistency in organizing the Mining Week, he noted that Nigeria had been operating mono- cultural economy for long time as the shift to solid minerals was paramount.
He said: ” 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 survival of Nigeria. This is our own contribution to climate change”.
He expressed the ministry’s willingness to make policies that would sanitize and rejig the regulatory framework of the sector to make it more conducive for local and foreign investors.
Dr Alake announced Federal Government’s plan to engage the state government and local government with a view to resolving surrounding issues within the ambit of the law.
The Minister revealed that high technology would be deployed with inter-agency taskforce to secure mining environments.
He therefore, sought partnership with the Miners Association of Nigeria to strengthen capacity in that regard to reposition the sector for growth.
The National President of Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr Dele Ayanleke, gave assurance that the seven point agenda unfolded by the Minister of Solid Minerals under the renewed hope agenda of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration would consolidate and enhance the sector for maximum contribution to national development.
