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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, says the Federal Government will collaborate with states to strengthen mining activities in the country.
Fayemi, who disclosed this during the National Consultative Meeting on Validation of Roadmap for the Solid Minerals Sector in Kaduna State, explained that this would form a holistic platform for diversifying the nation’s economy.
The Minister with his colleagues in the ministry, commissioners of solid minerals and environment from across the states of the federation and other stakeholders gathered to discuss the road map.
With the dwindling revenue due to fall in global oil price, the Federal Government wants to get the states involved in the exploration of mineral deposits within their domains as part of efforts to diversify the economy.
He listed steps to be taken in order to achieve the objectives to include identifying, streamlining and legalising activities of the large numbers of artisanal miners.
The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Bala Bantex, who stood in for Governor Nasir El-Rufai, commended the Federal Government’s effort of diversifying the nation’s sources of revenue.
He promised that the state will complement all efforts to revitalise the country’s economy.
Other stakeholders at the meeting stressed that solid minerals can drive industrialisation and economic growth in the country if only the Federal Government would allow increased participation by states and private sector in exploration, collection of royalties among others.
According to the 2012 audit report of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Nigeria has about 40 different solid minerals spread across the country, yet on the average, the sector contributes only about 0.34 percent to the country’s GDP.
Stakeholders say the limitation of states in the mining activities is largely responsible for the inactiveness of the sector.
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