FG advocates Public
FG advocates Public Private Partnership for Mining
Sector
The Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD),
Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite has advocated Public Private Partnership
(PPP) for a sustained growth and development in the mining sector
that would enhance economic growth.
Speaking while receiving members of the Corporate Council on
Africa (CCA) led by the West African Director, Ekenem Isichei, who
paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday, 10th September, 2019, the
Minister said the Federal Government is seeking ways to diversify
from oil and gas, adding that proper harnessing of the resources in
the mining sector would definitely take the country to the next
level in line with the present Administration’s vision for the
nation.
He harped on the need to open up the sector to private
investors’ participation and urged the CCA officials and other
major players in the industry to partner with the ministry,
especially in the area of organizing and formalizing the activities
of the artisanal miners in order to bring their operation to meet
international best practices.
According to him, the artisanal miners often endanger themselves
and create nuisance to the environment of host communities due to
their crude method of mining. He said that the ministry has tried
to solve this by organizing them into cooperatives. He therefore
called on stakeholders to work together with the Ministry to
formalize their operation that would enable them to deploy modern
tools of mining to ensure more revenue generation and also pave way
for wealth and job creation.
Arc. Adegbite also solicited for Private Sector’s assistance in
creating Certification Centres and Laboratories to certify the
quality of discovered minerals such as gold, diamond, especially
the gem stones to promote global recognition of Nigeria minerals
and legal trading.
Also speaking, the Minister of State, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah,
appreciated the visit of the CCA officials and assured them of the
ministry’s willingness to partner with them with a view to deepen
productivity in the mineral sector that would facilitate national
development.
Earlier in his address, the Mr. Isichei, congratulated the
Ministers on their appointment. He said that his organization has a
good working relationship with the ministry, and disclosed that
their visit was to kick-start a formal engagement with the ministry
to learn of its plans and to bring in their expertise into such
designs in order to actualize adequate and visible development in
the sector.
ChinweEkwugha
For: D (Press & PR)