…calls for economic diversification through mining
....As Mines and Steel Devt minister visits
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has called on the Federal Government to site the hub of the nation’s gemstone market in the state in order to boost the mining industry in Nigeria.
The governor, who stated this while receiving the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, at the Government House, Agodi Ibadan, also sought for the support of the Federal Government to curb the activities of illegal miners.
He maintained that the state has already been putting some structures in place to enhance the development of its solid mineral development sector and position the state to benefit maximally from the immense opportunities available in the sector.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor added that in line with his promise to build infrastructure that targets the economic expansion agenda of the administration, a number of projects are being put up to support the mining industry.
He said:
"We do have some aspirations, which I think we can collaborate on, especially the gemstone market. It is informal right now but we want to formalise it. I know you are from Ogun State but Abeokuta should not even be in competition with us and I will tell you why. Here, we are putting up a number of projects that we think would support the mining industry, especially in the aspect of the expansion of Ibadan Airport.
"So, quite frankly, if we have the gemstone market, we will basically just take off from there to anywhere in the world and that is what we want to do.
"Ibadan used to be a regional capital and we have a fairly developed infrastructure. So, I think you should just give the gemstone market to us and let us sign it up this evening.
"Also, on the mineral surveillance programme, we were looking at doing that on our own, but we think that if we can collaborate with the Federal Government, that will allow us, from the outset, to key into that programme. One of the things that we always say here is that we are so much in a hurry to get things done and if the bureaucracy at the Federal Level will not allow things to happen as fast as we will love to see, then we can go ahead. But we can have the arrangement for the agreement that when you are indeed ready, we will just match that together.
"We have seen cobalt here and we have also seen ledium here and when I looked at the quality, I think they told me it was about 70 per cent purity, when the entire world is looking for something around 40 per cent. So, for me, even though you classified it as something for the future, I think it is happening right now. Those are opportunities that we really want to wrap our fingers around in Oyo state. I also believe we do have challenges with the illegal miners. Not just here, I believe it is all over the country, but I believe it has to be sorted.”
Governor Makinde admonished the Federal Government to diversify the economy of the country by tapping into the economic benefits available in the mining industry.
"The fact that we have oil and gas reserves in abundance still should not preclude seriousness on our part to develop the solid mineral sector. If you have a little bit of unclarity with what people should do, how people should operate, that clarity has to be around the programme and so the local people can invest massively."
The governor maintained as part of moves that can demonstrate the seriousness of the Federal Government in exploring the opportunities in the mining sector, the minister should encourage it to become active as part of the board of the Nigerian Marble Mining Company, Igbeti, which the state recently constituted in line with its commitment to expand its economy using mineral development as one of the core areas of focus.
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