Mines Ministry Pledges Support to Kaduna State on Minerals Development

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has pledged its commitment to support the development of Mineral Resources that abound in Kaduna State.

This, it hinted, is to ensure it achieves its mandate of diversifying the economy and growing the Gross Domestic Product of the country.

The Minister of State Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah made the pledge recently during his address at the 2021 Kaduna State Economic and Investment Summit, Kadinvest, with the theme ‘Towards sustainable knowledge-based Economy’.

He stated that the ministry has key agencies in Kaduna State, like the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency & National Steel Raw Materials Exploration for generation of geoscience data on minerals of interest and the Mining Cadastre Office for title acquisition and administration.

He disclosed that the federal government through NGSA has generated preliminary geoscience data that can guide would be investors on the proper identification of “hot spot” areas for detailed exploration across Kaduna State.

He added that mining is an information-based investment and such credible geoscience information will definitely attract serious mining investments into the State.

Ogah who noted that Kaduna is strategically located in the mineral map of Nigeria, stated that the State is endowed with a lot of solid minerals, especially minerals of the future, and enjoined prospective investors to liaise with the relevant Agencies of the Ministry of Mines and Steel development for necessary information to guide them in making their investment decisions.

He commended the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai for keying into Mr. President’s vision of diversifying the Nigerian economy through the Agricultural and Minerals sectors, saying the initiative would attract investors to the country and the state in particular.

Speaking in similar vein, Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that the state government has attracted $2.8 billion investments and created about 100,000 direct and indirect jobs since the inception of Kadinvest in 2016 as well as risen from 14th to 4th position in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) realising N50.7 billion in 2020.

He revealed that the state has signed an agreement with Arla of Denmark to build a ranch that would settle 1,000 Fulani herders and their families with all facilities; grass, water, schools, hospitals at the cost of N12 billion. N8 billion is from CBN and N2 billion from Kaduna state. Arla will contribute €5 million.