NIGERIA TO
DEVELOP MINERAL RESOURCES
Efforts are
being intensified to develop Nigeria’s mineral resources rather
than oil.
The permanent Secretary, ministry of Mines and Steel
Development, Alhaji Bello Sali made this known at a workshop for
sustainable management of mineral resources project, in Abuja,
the Nigerian capital.
He said that there were abundant mineral resources in virtually
all the Local Government areas of the country but that oil,
which was one of such resources had always been given priority
over others.
Alhaji Bello said that the need to ensure optimal exploitation
of the mineral resources necessitated the organization of the
workshop.
He said that the objective of the project was in line with the
present administration’s seven point agenda to develop the
mining and steel sector.
The World Bank team leader on sustainable management of mineral
resources project, Mr. Craig Andrews disclosed that the World
Bank granted a loan of one hundred and twenty million dollars in
2005 to boost the solid mineral sector of the Nigerians economy
with a view to reducing poverty in the country.
He said consequently, the expectation from the Nigerian
government was for the mining sector to contribute about five
percent to the Nations Gross Demotic Product.
The National Chairman of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr.
Sunday Ekosi also called on the Nigerian government to support
local miners who are willing to exploit the sector.
