Buhari rates mining sector high, unveils eMC+

…. says mining is the roadmap for economic diversification

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, declared the 2022 Nigeria Mining week event open, saying Nigeria’s mining sector is the major contributor to economic diversification.

He also unveiled online “Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus eMC+”, the deployment of a digital application at the Mining Cadastre Office, and its offices in the country’s six geo-political zones for grant and administration of mining titles.

Buhari was represented by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who stated this at the mining week which is scheduled to hold from November 1 to 3, 2022, with the theme “Successes and Achievements in the Mining Sector”.

He said: “I must also say that this event is a very significant complement to our vision and sustained effort to accelerate the growth of the mining sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic diversification programme.

“But we all know that the mining sector has always needed a transformational leap to contribute meaningfully to the envisioned economic growth of the country because despite the glorious contribution of the mining sector to our national economy in the past and the abundance of mineral resources found in almost every state of the Federation, the growth of the sector stagnated for, many years, especially since the early 1970s.

“And there have been many notable efforts by previous administrations to wake the sleeping giant that is the mining industry. But at the beginning of our administration in 2015, we intentionally prioritised the development of the country’s mineral resources as one of the frontiers for economic growth.

“This led to the comprehensive Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Sector and we have steadily followed the steps set out in the roadmap. So far, we can say without fear of contradiction that this administration has committed more resources to the development of the mining sector than any other government in the history of this country.

In his address, the Acting National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Alh. Musa Muhammad noted that the platform of Nigeria Mining Week has been utilized over the years to do a wholesome critique of the national mining ecosystem.

He said: “The Association, on behalf of our partners, we like to express our profound gratitude to the leadership of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and all its agencies, for not only being the worthy host of this annual forum but more for alluding to and galvanizing our thoughts, yearnings and aspirations”.

In his remarks, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilenka Adegbite, said one priority goals of his administration is to reposition the mining sector, within the framework of the economic diversification policy, to become one of the frontiers of sustainable economic growth for Nigeria.

He said: “It must be recalled that this administration inherited some key legacy issues that are fundamental to the growth of the Mining Sector. This Ministry had to crystalize various strategies to address the lack of geological data, weak institutional capacity to govern the sector, low revenue generation, informal mining and community issues, and the protracted litigations on the nation’s steel assets.

“With the unprecedented support and direction of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the National Assembly, the Ministry has recorded some significant achievements that have defined a growth trajectory for the Nigeria Mining Sector”.

Also, the Senate President, Senator. Ahmed Lawal, who was represented by the Chairman, the Senate Committee on Mineral resources, Senator, Umaru Tanko Almakura said the mining sector just like other sectors’ needs to be prioritised to contribute to the economic development of the country.