17 December 2013, Abuja – The Federal Government at the weekend, urged miners in the country to embark on joint venture mining to boost rapid development of the sector and also attract foreign direct investment.
This was said by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Musa Sada, during a courtesy visit by the Miners Association of Nigeria, MAN, to the ministry.
Sada said it was now imperative for Nigerian miners to form joint mining ventures as it is in the oil and gas sector with international and local partners who have good ideas, knowledge, technical expertise and financial muscles to grow and develop the mining industry.
Sada said: “Mining nations all over the world started to grow their mining industries with joint venture strategy for rapid growth and development, which had at the end attracted direct foreign investments, and now are big players globally. Nigerian miners should also learn from such experiences to facilitate the transformation of this money spinning sector of our economy.
“Miners and investors in the nation’s mining industry should endeavour to sign community development agreements with the various community development associations in their host communities instead of with a village or community head to avoid unnecessary clashes in their operations across the country.
“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has the best intentions for the development of Nigeria’s mining industry. Also you should know that Nigeria has the right mining geology in Sub-Saharan Africa for the exploration and exploitation of its huge solid mineral endowments.”
The minister expressed pleasure over the one day ‘Miners’ Stakeholders Forum’ organised by MAN, which is scheduled for today (Monday) in Abuja. He further stated that big mining events all over the world started with little ideas that have fast-tracked the growth and development of the mining sector in most countries.
He assured that the management of MAN that the ministry would give the necessary support and cooperation for the successful hosting of the Miners’ Stakeholders Forum.
Speaking earlier, President, MAN, Alhaji Sani Shehu, said that the purpose of their visit to the ministry was to formally inform and invite the minister, and also to solicit the ministry’s support and cooperation for the association’s one day stakeholders forum.
*Gabriel Ewepu, Vanguard
