The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has affirmed the resolve of the federal government to foreclose the acquisition of mining licenses by prospective investors without requisite plans for local value addition.
A statement on Tuesday by the Special Assistant to the minister on media, Segun Tomori, noted that Alake said this while playing host to members of the House Committee on Solid Minerals on oversight visit to the ministry.
The statement said the minister applauded the lawmakers for their support in repositioning the mining sector, stressing that changing the economic fortunes of Nigeria is a joint task by both the executive and legislature.
He also seized the occasion to assure the legislators of the significant contribution of sub-nationals to mining development, stressing that state chairmen of Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) and five members of the committee were nominated by state governments.
“The importance of this committee cannot be overstated because whether we like it or not, we are at the cusp of history and it does beckon on us individually and collectively whether as executive or legislature to change the paradigm of Nigeria’s economic fortunes because we have to diversify our economy away from the mono-cultural dependency on oil.
“Again, that underscores the significance of this committee because of the importance of the ministry in that regard. That is why I view your visit here today with all sense of proprietary, responsibility, and appreciation of the oversight functions that you are saddled with.
“We welcome you and believe that from the type of comradeship that I have personally enjoyed with the committee and the leadership, I have no doubt in my mind, that what the executive of this ministry needs to forge ahead to achieve its stated objectives in terms of logistics support, legislative framework crafting is assured.
“It gives me great confidence that when you have members of a committee that understand the issues at stake, understand the problems that the ministry faces and knows how to give the necessary back-up, then we in the executive will have no excuse for failure. We can only forge ahead”, the minister said.
Highlighting the renewed interest of the international community in Nigeria’s mineral resources, Alake stressed that his 7-point agenda has put the mining sector on the global front-burner since his assumption of office.
Speaking further, the minister revealed that with the pact that led to the formation of the AMSG, there is now unity of purpose on the African continent on the issue of local value addition.
