Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Musa Sada has stated that the ministry has facilitated the production of over six million tonnes of mineral products in the country thereby, creating over a million jobs.
Speaking at the ongoing ministerial platform, Mr. Sada revealed that 1.254 million jobs were created from operations in 1710 quarries, 223 small scale mining operations, 195 mining leases and 2048 exploration licenses.
He stressed the need for professionalism in the industry and listed Ajaokuta Steel Company as one of the companies suffering effects of ‘unprofessionalism’ in the country.
According to the Minister, issues in the company range from infrastructural challenges to privatization, legal issues to change of management and even technical competency.
He noted that ministry is encouraging group mining activities which he claim will help curb illegal mining in rural area, adding that the ministry has commenced education of people living in communities where illegal mining thrives so as to check the menace of illegal mining.
Mr Sada said the education involves informing them to come together to do things in a better way rather than going solo. He also advised that such communities must get legal advice before indulging into community development that involves exploration or mining activities.
Discovery
The minister stated that 11 additional minerals have been discovered in the country in the last one year bringing the number of minerals in the county to a total of 44.
He expressed the need for dissemination of information through the right sources to the right people that will get involved in wealth creation mostly from industrial mineral.
On the ministry’s initiative to clean up dormant mining titles in a “Use it or Lose it” exercise, Mr. Sada said over 10,000 dormant and inactive titles were mopped up into active and productive mineral rights while all non-performing titles were revoked; thus increasing revenue generation and activities by mineral titles owners.
“80 per cent of over 10,000 mineral licenses are held in drawers by people who don’t need it and are not using it; people who have the rights are really not interested in developing mineral while people who are interested are out there looking for these rights.” Mr. Sada said
JUNE 12: 20 YEARS AFTER [WED] 12/06/13 ANN CAM:
TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY, NIGERIA RECORDED A WATERSHED IN ITS ELECTORAL PATH AS NIGERIANS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THREW RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC INTOLERANCE OVERBOARD AND TROOPED OUT ENMASS TO VOTE THE NOW LATE MOSHOOD KASHIMAWO ABIOLA.
CONTESTING ON THE PLATFORM OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE LATE ABIOLA BEAT HIS NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONVENTION CHALLENGER, BASHIR TOFA WITH 2.25 MILLION VOTES IN A KEENLY CONTESTED RACE.
ALTHOUGH THE RESULT OF THAT ELECTION WAS ANNULLED BY THE REGIME OF GENERAL IBRAHIM BABANGIDA, THE JUNE 12, 1999 ELECTION THEREAFTER BECAME A MARKER IN NIGERIA’S ELECTORAL HISTORY, ADJUDGED TO BE “THE FREEST AND FAIREST ELECTION IN THE COUNTRY”.
TODAY, RALLIES WILL BE HELD IN MOST SOUTH WEST STATES EVEN AS STAKEHOLDERS CONTINUE TO EULOGISE THE LATE BUSINESS MOGUL.
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