ABUJA- Alhaji Sani Shehu, the President, Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), has urged the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise development of the solid mineral sector.
Shehu made the appeal in an interview with yesterday in Abuja.
He said the association was optimistic that Buhari would fulfill his presidential campaign promise, to develop the sector for economic diversification and job creation.
Shehu said that the need to develop the solid minerals sector had become necessary, as revenue generated from crude oil, the country’s major source of income, was on the decline.
The MAN president stressed the need for Nigeria to urgently diversify from its mono to multi economy through development of the sector.
He said so far 44 minerals had been discovered in commercial quantity across the country and advised the new government to give priority to the development of industrial, metallic and energy minerals.
Shehu listed minerals that needed priority attention to include gold, iron ore, coal, limestone, kaolin, lead/zinc, bitumen, cassiterite, columbite, and copper.
He said the development of the sector could only be achieved through the encouragement of mechanised mining of industrial minerals by local industries.
He said it should be done in line with the import substitution strategy or existing policy, to feed the local industries and preserve government foreign exchange.
