The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) has pledged its commitment to support Kaduna State in the development of mineral resources that abound in the state.
The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, made this pledge during his address at the 2021 Kaduna State Economic and Investment Summit, KADINVEST, themed – ‘Towards sustainable, knowledge-based economy’ at the weekend.
He pointed out that the ministry will partner the state through its key agencies in the state – like the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and National Steel Raw Materials Exploration (NSRME) – for generation of geoscience data on minerals of interest and the Mining Cadastre Office for title acquisition and administration.
“I am confident that reliable information from these agencies on the minerals and metals’ sector will guide prospective investors in making knowledge-based decisions,” he said.
Ogah disclosed that the Federal Government, through the NGSA has generated preliminary geoscience data that can guide would be investors on the proper identification of ‘hot spots’ for detailed exploration across Kaduna State, adding that mining is an information-based investment and credible geoscience information will definitely attract serious mining investments into the state.
The minister, 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, enjoined prospective investors to liaise with the relevant agencies of the ministry for necessary information to guide them in making investment decisions.
He commended the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai for keying into President Muhammadu Buhari’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.
Earlier, Governor 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. Of this, N8 billion is from CBN and N2 billion from Kaduna. Arla will contribute €5 million.
While noting that more than 80per cent of its population are below 65 years and most of them live in the urban centers of Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan, El-Rufai said the state needed jobs and infrastructural investment, adding it is investing N80 billion on massive road infrastructure in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan.
In his remarks, His Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II and vice chairman, Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA) noted that Kaduna State government’s initiative to think ahead by initiating the KadINVEST will attract foreign investors, as well as reduce poverty and increase per capita income of the state.
A statement by the head, press and public relations unit, Tine-Iulun M.A, disclosed that the commitment of the state government in ensuring a knowledge-based economy to meet the current realities has made the state one of the pilot destinations of the MTN education programme which aims at improving the quality of education.
