The Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called for legislative backing to promote local value addition in the mineral sector. He argues that this approach will lead to significant job creation and benefit the communities rich in minerals.
On Wednesday, Dr. Alake revealed this during an oversight visit by the House Committee on Solid Minerals, chaired by Honourable Jonathan Gbefwi, to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
During the visit, the minister briefed the committee on recent activities and initiatives of the ministry. He highlighted value addition and mineral processing as a cornerstone of the ministry’s 7-point agenda, emphasizing the significant benefits it offers to a mineral-rich country like Nigeria, including job creation and the optimization of natural resources.
Dr. Alake mentioned his recent successful promotional tours to mining conferences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Town, South Africa, aimed at advocating for local value addition.
Furthermore, Dr. Alake informed the House Committee members that these efforts led to the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) and his unanimous election as its inaugural Chairman.
”The era of carting away solid minerals without commensurate value addition is over,” he said.
In his remarks, the minister further emphasised 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 outfit by the Interior Minister, using the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) 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 minister asserted.
Commenting on the existing relationship, Dr Alake said: ” I have had a 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 fulfils its oversight duty.
”We are empowered by the Constitution to do oversight, to ensure the executive performs its duty. We intend to stretch to the limit…” the chairman stated.
Elaborating, Honourable Gbefwi said the importance of the mineral sector to the economy cannot be overemphasized.
He said, “It is the only sector that can rescue Nigeria from its economic doldrum”. The committee, he continued, will do all that is needed to support the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to bring the sector to its glorious heights.’
Delivering a 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.