The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru CON and the Minister of State, Bello Matawelle, have assured the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake of unalloyed support for his efforts to create a revamped security architecture for the mining sector.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Dr. Alake on Thursday in his office, Mr. Matawalle revealed that plans are on course, in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals, to secure all mining sites in the country, restating the significance of the mining sector to Nigeria’s economic development.
Also, Badaru, a former Governor of Jigawa state, assured that his ministry is on the same page with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to secure mining sites and provide an enabling environment for mining operations in the country.
” The purpose of the visit by the two of us is to discuss how we can provide security for the mining areas so that the mining sector will not lay idle. We are working to provide security in the farms for food security and, as much as possible, provide security for the mining sector. This is important so that we can earn the much needed foreign exchange to stabilise our currency. In addition to oil, mining is a very important sector that will help to rejuvenate the economy of this country, “Badaru added.
In his remarks, Dr. Alake asserted that the visit of the Defence Ministers signposts the seriousness of the Tinubu administration to strengthening the mining sector and securing mining areas across the country.
” The main essence is to secure our minerals sector. I have been saying it to foreign investors and potential investors that we need to secure the mining sector of Nigeria, so that the operators, both local and foreign, can have a free and unfettered atmosphere to operate, so that we can derive maximum benefits from this God-given resource and i’ve been saying it that I am working in conjunction with Ministry of Defence and all inter-military agencies are involved in this security architecture that we are reinvigorating. That’s why they are here, “Dr. Alake emphasised.
It will be recalled that an integral part of Alake’s 7-point agenda for the transformation of the solid minerals sector is the establishment of Mines Surveillance Task Force and Mines Police.
Segun Tomori
Special Assistant on Media to the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
16th November, 2023.
