Katsina eyes mineral resources to boost revenue

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has said that his administration will begin coordinated harnessing of its 37 mineral resources to shore up its revenue base.

Masari stated this when he inaugurated the governing board of the state-owned Exploration and Mining Company Limited, at the Government House chambers.

According to the governor, the state is blessed with 37 mineral resources scattered across the 34 councils.

He identified the mineral resources as gold, manganese, kaolin, asbestos, iron ore, copper, emerald, among others.

Lamenting that the state had been dependent on federal allocation, with most of its revenue coming from contractors and Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Masari said the solid minerals sector would play key role economic development and improvement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He added that harnessing the sector had become paramount in view of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with attendant fall in price of crude oil.

The governor said the company would work with the relevant federal ministry to achieve the desired objective, including job creation for the teeming youths.

Members of the board were drawn from the business community, with Salisu Mamman as chairman, and Yahaya Iro as secretary.

Others are managing director of the state’s investment and property development company, Abba Yusuf; chairman of state miners’ association, Abdulkadir Aliyu; and acting managing director of the company, Kabir Musa.

Mamman commended government for choosing them to serve as pioneer board members, even as he assured that they would work with relevant groups.