Oscarline Onwuemenyi
09 November 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Conference of Nigeria’s Political Parties (CNPP) has showered encomiums on the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, over his “sterling performance” in the solid minerals sector as attested to by President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2018 budget speech.
The group said in a statement made available to our correspondent that the attestation to Fayemi’s performance in the Ministry to the growth of Nigeria’s economy is both historic and historical.
It added that Dr. Fayemi’s hard work and vision derived from the collective vision of President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) propelled the minister to deploy his energies and staff towards the feats achieved to revamp the economy for the welfare of Nigerians.
Buhari had at his 2018 budget presentation on Tuesday at a joint sitting of the National Assembly singled out Fayemi for praise in driving his ministry towards successful take-off of economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government, citing the increase in solid minerals earnings from N700m to above N2b under the minister to the national economy.
Spraking after their emergency meeting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, Chairman of the conference, Prince Tunji Ogunlola, said Fayemi’s sterling performance as attested to earlier by the Senate Committee of Mines and Steel that applauded Fayemi’s hard work and transparency in the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government, was a testimony of a man driven by passion to achieve his missions.
He stated that “The mining and steel sector, which is a viable alternative to oil, has remained untapped over the years until Dr. Fayemi took charge of the sector and turned it around, thereby making the dream of making the sector an alternative to oil, a reality.
“From a paltry contribution of N700 million to the national purse before he took charge, Fayemi worked hard day and night with his men to contribute N2billion within one year, making it one of the highest sectoral contributors to the economy, apart from oil.
“No wonder that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator James Manager, described Dr. Fayemi as a man of vision who despite the challenges in the sector had taken the sector to a higher level.”
Extolling Fayemi’s qualities, Ogunlola added: “We are not surprised about the performance of Dr. Fayemi in the sector because he had earlier demonstrated his leadership and managerial abilities as Governor of Ekiti State by turning the state to huge construction and rehabilitation sites with projects in all towns and villages across the state.
“This is apart from his life-lifting programmes, such as the social security for the elderly people where about 25,000 elders received a monthly stipend of N5,000 each; Youth Volunteers Scheme for unemployed youths; Youths in Commercial Agriculture Development (YCAD); the Food Bank Scheme; Ekiti State Transport Management Agency; Conditional Cash Transfer; and the State-Assisted Community Projects,renovation of all schools and hospitals including regular payment of salaries and allowances, all that contributed in making the state’s economy active while he was governor.
“Like he is doing in the mineral sector and Ajaokuta Steel Complex at the Federal level, Fayemi as governor also initiated legacy projects, such as the Ikogosi Warm Springs, the Ekitiparapo Pavilion, resuscitation of Ire Burnt Bricks and moribund Igbemo Asphalt Plant, among others, to rejuvenate the state’s economy.
“For Fayemi’s history of hard work, integrity, and honesty, N30b intervention fund was approved for the sector by the Natural Resources Development Fund and this is the first in the history of the sector and it is a testimony that Fayemi is a trusted expert to drive Nigeria’s diversified economy in which the non oil sector will be playing a pivotal role.
“We are proud of Dr. Fayemi’s enviable achievements as an outstanding performer in the Federal Executive Council and as a pride of Ekiti people known for their time-tested integrity, hard work, tenacity of purpose and honesty.
“We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari for his ability to discover Fayemi’s potential as a brilliant mind who could make a difference in Nigeria’s drive towards diversification of her battered economy while also urging the minister to see the President’s and Senate’s endorsements as a challenge to do more.”
