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The Center for the Defense of Transparency (CTA) has called on the Federal Government to address illegal mining in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The executive director of the civil society organization, Ms. Faith Nwadishi, made the call during an organized town hall meeting.
The Nigerian News Agency reports that the meeting was about the “Community Development Agreement (CDA) and validation of the FCT's scoping study report on the impact of mining on Original Inhabitants (OI).
It also reports that the study was conducted with the support of the Macarthur Foundation through the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
In his remarks, Nwadishi charged that the damaging effects of mining, especially quarrying, have left communities devastated, livelihoods destroyed, cultural sites desecrated and people despondent.
“That is why we are calling on the federal government to implement measures to address the devastating effect of mining on the livelihoods of the original inhabitants of the FCT.”
“Today we are here to achieve another milestone in the history of this project to promote the rights of the original inhabitants of the FCT.
“This project was launched on January 14. It has been a long road, especially in claiming the rights of the Original Inhabitants of the FCT and making certain requests”.
The executive director said the scoping study would help communities, mining companies and the government better understand the challenges associated with mining and how communities would benefit from the natural resources on their soil.
“According to the comments of the respondents, it was shown that some of the important sites of the inhabitants have been destroyed by infrastructure development activities, such as in the Kubwa district, where their graves have been converted into an ultra-modern market now called Maitama market.
He called on the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to do more to help communities in the FCT negotiate agreements with mining operators.
Also speaking, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, said that the community development agreement in the sector was to ensure that the mining communities were transported by the operators.
Adegbite was represented by Okono, Director of the Department of Environmental Compliance and Mines.
He said the CDA was enshrined in the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act (NMMA) 2007 to make agreements between mineral title holders and mining communities mandatory.
For his part, Esu Bwari, Dr. Ibrahim Yaro said that in addition to illegal mining, quarrying activities were also a danger to people in the community.
The Esu who was represented as the leader, John Awoyi, also said that many residents in the area were displaced.
Yaro, however, called on the CTA to add its scope of intervention in the quarry activities that have affected the communities.
Also speaking, CHRICED's Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, reiterated the commitment to support partners and communities in achieving their goals of improving the livelihoods of the FCT's indigenous people.
Zikirullahi was represented by CHRICED's Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Jaafar Abubakar.
He said that the organization would ensure that the government addresses the mining-related issues facing the people of the FCT.
edited
Source Credit: NAN
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, says the Federal Government is working to mainstream activities of artisanal miners into the legal system for effective management.
Adegbite said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Nigeria Mining Week.
According to him, artisanal miners form an important constituent of the mining sector.
“They operate outside the constituted legal system and their operations are inimical to the environment and economy of the nation.
“Government is therefore determined to mainstream this class of miners into the legal system for effective management.
“The ministry is working with experienced professionals to scale up its knowledge of formalisation techniques and build up its ability on real time data collection of artisanal mining sites in the country.
“This is to aid their formalisation into mining co-operatives and mineral enterprises.
“Extension services will be provided by the ministry in all aspects of the value chain to ensure adequate management and sustainability,” he said.
The minister said that the ministry was also taking steps to ensure that mining activities were not inimical to the environment by improving the Environmental impact.
“Environmental impact is critical in sustainable mineral development.
“Government has maintained a consistent environmental surveillance and green mining practices to ensure minimum damage to the environment.
“The Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) have been strengthened and the ministry is keeping constant dialogue with committees in almost all the states of the country,'” he said.
He said that the ministry had intensified efforts in revamping the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the Iron Ore Mining Company in Itakpe.
According to him, the assets of the two companies have been secured and freed from all legal encumbrances.
He said that a transaction adviser had been appointed to conduct a professional and transparent concessioning of the two firms.
He added that the National Steel Council had also been constituted and inaugurated as an integral stakeholder in the development of the steel industry.
“The results of our endeavor are encouraging.
“Thor Exploration Limited commissioned their world class Segilola Gold Mine in December, 2021, and the firm has produced 85,000 ounces of gold to date.
Kursi Investment Limited is rapidly developing its gold asset in Kwara.
“Eta Zuma Mining and Industries Limited and the Mosra Enerji are mining and supplying the coal needs of Dangote and Bua Cement works.
“Several firms are at their end stage mine development,” he said.
Adegbite said that government revenues from the sector increased from N2billion in 2015 to over N7billion in 2021, indicating a major increase in mining activities in the field.
“We shall intensify our efforts to work to make our mining sector more competitive in the global mining space and to satisfy the needs of our domestic and global goals.
“We shall prioritise the development of critical minerals required in clean energy transition and reduction in green house emission to zero, ” he said.
The Acting President, Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Musa Muhammad, said that the platform of the Nigeria Mining Week had been utilised over the years to do wholesome critique of the national mining ecosystem.
According to Muhammad, in spite of some unresolved legacy challenges and new ones emerging, there are quite some notable developmental strides being driven by the regulatory ministry and its agencies.
He listed appreciable increase in sectoral contributions to the GDP as one of such developments.
“Increased interest of foreign investors due to the verifiable geological data being generated by the National Integrated Mineral Exploration Project (NIMEP), of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency.
“Digitalisation of mineral titles administration by the Mining Cadastre Office; development of Cluster Buying Centers across the geopolitical zones, standardisation of the Nigerian barite to meet up with global specifications.
“The various conversations emanating from this platform have been incubating the ideas for policy formulation and actions,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Cyril Azobu, Partnership and Mining Industry Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), said that the Nigeria Mining Week remained a destination of choice for discerning mining companies and investors.
Azobu said that PwC was confident about the potential growth of the Nigerian mining industry.
“In our role as advisors to both public and private sectors, we have helped catalyse and witnessed several companies to successfully exploit the opportunities in the mining ecosystem.
“The industry has continued to grow and record notable achievements over the past seven years of our involvement in organising this forum in collaboration with other stakeholders,” he said.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his vision and drive towards diversifying the Nigerian economy.
“Mr President’s commendable vision and drive towards diversifying Nigeria’s economy is yielding fruits with the mining sector.
“Nigeria’s mining industry is currently attracting a lot of investor attention in exploration because of laudable policies that are helping to de-risk the sector.
“A positive outcome of the NIMEP is the provision of bankable geoscientific data giving investors the confidence to invest.
“As a result, there is traction in drilling and analytical equipment coming into the country, ” he said.
He added that, now was the best time to invest in exploration of Nigeria’s vast and untapped mineral deposits.
He listed available mineral deposits in various parts of the country as gold, bitumen, nickel, chromium, cobalt, rare earth minerals, lead-Zinc, silver, copper, barite and iron ore.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
A London conference on Monday told the Nigerian government to upscale its investment in education to pull the West African country out of endemic poverty.
Speaking at a colloquium, marking Nigeria’s 62nd Independence, the keynote speaker, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, said that Nigeria could only turn the corner if adequate investment was made in education.
Adeagbo is a Chartered Accountant and Chief Executive Officer of the UK charity, IA-Foundation, which is active in Nigeria.
According to her, Nigeria has not been able to fund education adequately over the years, in spite of its position as Africa’s top economy and crude oil exporter.
She said that in spite of the rich natural endowments of the country, which is also Africa’s most populous nation, the country had continue to wallow in poverty and underdevelopment after 62 years of independence.
Citing the worrisome statistics released recently by UNESCO that 20.2 million children in Nigeria were currently out of school, Adeagbo said that no magic would make economic development to foster in the country.
“We have 20.2 million children who are not in school in Nigeria, ranking among India and Pakistan — how can our economy grow?
Education and economic development go hand-in-hand.
“The huge number of out-of-school children in Nigeria is negatively impacting the nation’s economy and the standard of living of the people,’’ she added.
The child’s rights advocate argued that the high rate of children who cannot access quality education is also responsible for the festering insecurity in the country.
According to her, insecurity in the country has been hampering economic development and pushing many people in the vast nation into desperate want and poverty.
She charged the Federal Government to rise to the challenge of getting its citizens to embrace quality education “because the more educated people are the better their chances of building the economy’’.
Adeagbo decried what she described as the prevailing poor state of Nigeria’s education system, saying that it was characterized by distorted learning, poor infrastructure, unqualified teachers and incessant strikes.
The IA-Foundation founder argued that the way out was for Nigeria to increase its budgetary allocation to education year-on-year and also introduce policies that would make education attractive to citizens.
“Parents, who fail to send their children to school should be punished to make everyone to benefit from the education opportunities offered by the government,’’ she stated.
According to her, Nigeria needs to invest in human capital development through formal and informal education and ensure that education takes its pride of place.
Adeagbo said that IA-Foundation, had been doing its utmost to be part of the solution of the crisis in the education sector in Nigeria through street campaigns to bring children back to classrooms.
“We currently have many children that we have taken off the streets in Lagos, Abuja, Kwara, Delta, Oyo State and Ogun.
“We have been to IDP camps and schools of the blind and disabled to distribute learning materials and we are doing our best to ensure that we remove the barriers to accessing quality education,” she said.
Other dignitaries at the event include Amb. Sarafa Ishola, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK and Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development.
Others are Hon. Abike Dabiri, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission and Mr Olusegun Awolowo, a former Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, among others.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Nigeria and India on Monday in Abuja established the Nigeria-India Business Council (NIBC) to expand trade and investment between both countries.
The council is aimed at furthering efforts at reaching an anticipated 40 billion dollars worth of trade between both countries.
The NIBC was inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday in Abuja.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr V.
Sharma, President of NIBC said, “India is already doing great business with this country and will continue to import more crude and gas from the country.
“With 14 to 15 billion dollars of trade today, the potential is to reach about 40 billion dollars.
“So please see, the gap is about 25 to 26 billion dollars .
It is a big opportunity,” Sharma said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who inaugurated the council said both countries would explore new areas of doing business and cooperation to further strengthen bilateral ties between both countries.
Osinbajo, who was represented by Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development also emphasised the need for the partnership to focus on areas of entrepreneurship that will help reduce the level of unemployment in the country.
“NIBC will be a vehicle to further strengthen and consolidate our existing bond of friendship and also serve as a platform to coordinate and facilitate business actions between the business community of both countries.
“Let me identify two areas in which I will want to see even further cooperation between our two countries, this relates to entrepreneurship, and vocational training.
“India has already been able to use entrepreneurship to brings its unemployment levels down to around 7 per cent while that of Nigeria is still high at about 35 per cent.
“Similarly, through entrepreneurship, India has been able to boost its export of goods and services to about 546 billion dollars while Nigeria is only at 70 billion dollars.
“I feel that there is also need to put emphasis on skills acquisition and capacity building which will place large numbers of young people on the work palce.
‘As well as boost the natikns’s capacity, innovation and capacity as well as contribute to the economy,” Osinbajo said.
The vice president also encouraged Indian investors to establish in Nigeria the kind of businesses and services that Nigerians usually travelled to India in search of.
He explained that the businesses when established in Nigeria would thrive where the demand is high and especially where they would be if mutual benefit to both India and Nigeria.
Osinbajo pledged the federal government’s commitment to creating an environment conducive for Indian businesses to thrive.
“I also urge India investors to consider providing here in Nigeria some of the medical and educational services for which Nigerians travel to India.
“Given the scale of the demand, it easy to say that there is business sphere for such an investment.
“On its part, the federal government will render the necessary support to all inward investment, continue its efforts to improve the business environment and providing necessary incentives.
“Some of the incentives includes pioneer starters, rural location incentives, export expansion scheme, gas utilisation as well as investment allowances,” the VP added.
India’s Minister of State of External Affairs, Shri V.
Muraleedharan said Nigeria had always been a favourite investment destination for Indian businesses with about 135 Indian companies operating in Nigeria with investments worth 20 billion dollars.
Muraleedharan added that Nigeria had been India’s largest trading an energy partner in Africa.
“Bilateral trade between both countries in the year 2021-22 had risen substantially over the previous year to touch 14.95 billion dollars.
“The large and growing population of Nigeria, its talented youth, the abundance of natural resources, a democratic and business-friendly Government and very strong cultural bonds between our peoples have all fuelled the rising economic engagement between both countries.
“But there is still great potential to enhance our economic cooperation and, with the pandemic behind us, both countries must look to vigorously make up for opportunities lost during the last two years.
“India has always been a very reliable partner for its friends in Africa and is committed to the socio-economic development of Africa in accordance with its own development priorities.
“Your priorities are our guiding principles for economic cooperation and our assistance in this area has always been keeping in the best interest of your country.
“Today, the multi-sectoral, high-level business delegation from India present here is ready to collaborate in different sectors,” Muraleedharan said.
(
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Nigeria and India on Monday in Abuja established the Nigeria-India Business Council (NIBC) to expand trade and investment between both countries.
The council is aimed at furthering efforts at reaching an anticipated 40 billion dollars worth of trade between both countries.
The NIBC was inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday in Abuja.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr V.
Sharma, President of NIBC said, “India is already doing great business with this country and will continue to import more crude and gas from the country.
“With 14 to 15 billion dollars of trade today, the potential is to reach about 40 billion dollars.
“So please see, the gap is about 25 to 26 billion dollars .
It is a big opportunity,” Sharma said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who inaugurated the council said both countries would explore new areas of doing business and cooperation to further strengthen bilateral ties between both countries.
Osinbajo, who was represented by Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development also emphasised the need for the partnership to focus on areas of entrepreneurship that will help reduce the level of unemployment in the country.
“NIBC will be a vehicle to further strengthen and consolidate our existing bond of friendship and also serve as a platform to coordinate and facilitate business actions between the business community of both countries.
“Let me identify two areas in which I will want to see even further cooperation between our two countries, this relates to entrepreneurship, and vocational training.
“India has already been able to use entrepreneurship to brings its unemployment levels down to around 7 per cent while that of Nigeria is still high at about 35 per cent.
“Similarly, through entrepreneurship, India has been able to boost its export of goods and services to about 546 billion dollars while Nigeria is only at 70 billion dollars.
“I feel that there is also need to put emphasis on skills acquisition and capacity building which will place large numbers of young people on the work palce.
‘As well as boost the natikns’s capacity, innovation and capacity as well as contribute to the economy,” Osinbajo said.
The vice president also encouraged Indian investors to establish in Nigeria the kind of businesses and services that Nigerians usually travelled to India in search of.
He explained that the businesses when established in Nigeria would thrive where the demand is high and especially where they would be if mutual benefit to both India and Nigeria.
Osinbajo pledged the federal government’s commitment to creating an environment conducive for Indian businesses to thrive.
“I also urge India investors to consider providing here in Nigeria some of the medical and educational services for which Nigerians travel to India.
“Given the scale of the demand, it easy to say that there is business sphere for such an investment.
“On its part, the federal government will render the necessary support to all inward investment, continue its efforts to improve the business environment and providing necessary incentives.
“Some of the incentives includes pioneer starters, rural location incentives, export expansion scheme, gas utilisation as well as investment allowances,” the VP added.
India’s Minister of State of External Affairs, Shri V.
Muraleedharan said Nigeria had always been a favourite investment destination for Indian businesses with about 135 Indian companies operating in Nigeria with investments worth 20 billion dollars.
Muraleedharan added that Nigeria had been India’s largest trading an energy partner in Africa.
“Bilateral trade between both countries in the year 2021-22 had risen substantially over the previous year to touch 14.95 billion dollars.
“The large and growing population of Nigeria, its talented youth, the abundance of natural resources, a democratic and business-friendly Government and very strong cultural bonds between our peoples have all fuelled the rising economic engagement between both countries.
“But there is still great potential to enhance our economic cooperation and, with the pandemic behind us, both countries must look to vigorously make up for opportunities lost during the last two years.
“India has always been a very reliable partner for its friends in Africa and is committed to the socio-economic development of Africa in accordance with its own development priorities.
“Your priorities are our guiding principles for economic cooperation and our assistance in this area has always been keeping in the best interest of your country.
“Today, the multi-sectoral, high-level business delegation from India present here is ready to collaborate in different sectors,” Muraleedharan said.
(
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, has called on Nigeria to compete with its contemporaries in developing the critical minerals value chain in the mining industry.
Adegbite said this at a summit organised by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and sponsored by SoundCore Group in Abuja on Thursday with the theme: “Leveraging future minerals for sustainable development’.
He said the country could not afford to be left out of the global rush to develop its vast deposits of mineral resources.
He added that the administration had taken fundamental steps to salvage the low electricity generation by diversifying the country’s energy mix towards renewable alternatives,” he said.
Adegbite said that many nations were aggressively initiating policies and strategic models to ensure the accelerated development of the critical energy minerals.
He said that the U.
S Senate in July passed an act with incentives for developing critical minerals, adding that Australia is also considering investment packages to stimulate exploration.
This, he said also include mining and processing of these minerals, adding that China also stepped up imports from developing nations to bolster critical minerals stockpiles.
According to him, the growing demand for critical minerals is propelled by the urgent need to secure a low-carbon future.
“Countries are increasingly relying on rare earth elements and critical minerals to support their climate commitments,” he said.
Adegbite said the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change emphasised the need to decline the use of non-renewable components in energy generation.
He said renewable sources of energy provide an alternative to the energy transition economy.
” The consequence of this major shift is a high demand for critical minerals for use in climate-friendly technologies.
” The World Bank has estimated the demand for these minerals to triple by 2040.
” Undoubtedly, the deployment of critical minerals for a clean energy transition will remain significantly intensive for a long time.
,”Adegbite said.
He said electric vehicles and battery storage would account for about half of the energy minerals demand over the next two decades, spurred by the increasing demand for battery materials.
Adegbite said battery storage minerals primarily comprise copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, platinum group minerals, and to a lesser extent, aluminum, chromium, graphite, manganese, rare earth elements and Zinc.
He said mineral demand from electric vehicles and battery storage is predicted to grow 10 to 30 times by 2040.
“Nigeria is richly endowed with critical minerals.
Lithium and tantalite are found in parts of the extensive pegmatite belts of Nigeria,” he said.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mine, Steel Development and Metallurgy, Sen. Tanko Almakura, said the future of Nigerian extractive industry is predicted to be heavily skewed towards solid mineral.
Mr Tony Nwakalor, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO), SoundCore Group, said the mining sector remained a veritable avenue for the country to wean itself off crude oil.
He said the sector also provides a reliable source of employment for teeming unemployed youth who could develop their skills formally and informally.
Nwakalor said the summit would serve as a trigger to initiate the mineral and mining revolution in the country.
OEO
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development says the Federal Government is making effort to promote and protect local steel industries.
Adegbite made this known, while inuagurating a nine-man committee for the reconstitution of the National Steel Council on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said the committee was inaugurated to protect the interest of the local steel producers and to curtail dumping of foreign steel in the country.
He said the inuguration was in the right direction, bringing Nigeria closer to its goal of achieving self-sufficiency in steel production.
“The National Steel Act clearly makes adequate provisions for the establishment of the National Steel Council, which will be responsible for the central planning of the iron and steel industry.
“The council consists of a chairman, executive secretary, four board members, and one representative drawn from the following federal ministrie -finance; power, and steel.
“They will serve as central planning for the steel industry; research and development for the steel industry, including research and development of the technology and other aspects of iron and steel production,” he said.
The minister said the committee would coordinate thevexploration of iron ore, cooking coal, limestone, dolomite, refractory clay and other minerals related to iron and steel production.
He said the committee would collaborate with the ministries of power and steel, the Nigerian Coal Corporation and the Nigerian Mining Corporation to achieve the task
“Training of Nigerians in all aspects of the iron and steel industry and related fields and the deployment of senior Nigerian management staff and trainees to steel plants and other sectors of the industry.
“Research into the development and manufacture of equipment to be used for the purpose of and in relation to basic engineering in the steel industry among others will all be coordinated by the committee.
”
Earlier, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning commended the Federal Government for selecting visionaries as committee members.
Ahmed said that no country could be industrialised without a vibrant steel company, adding that government was making efforts to reawakening all steel companies in the country.
Also, Mrs Gbemisola Saraki, the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development said no doubt the calibre of people that were selected to form the committee would achieve success for the sector.
“Since the establishment of Ajaokuta steel, Delta steel and iron ore at Itakpe in Kogi state, this is the first time steel council is established.
”
Alhaji Muhammad Aliyu, the Chairman of the committee said the committee would put in their best to achieve the task saddled on them.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved an augmentation of N16 billion for the completion of the dualisation of the Kano-Katsina Expressway.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known while briefing newsmen at the end of the Council’s meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“A memo that sought the Council’s approval for the revised total cost of contract for the dualisation of the Kano-Katsina Expressway was approved.
“The contract on the 78km road was actually awarded sometime in 2019.
“The contractor, having done appreciable work asked us for a review of the Bill of Quantity of engineering work.
“The contract deal was augmented with the sum of N16 billion, thereby revising the subsisting contract from N29 billion to N46 billion,’’ the minister said.
The minister also told newsmen that more than N800 million was approved for the procurement of 32 operational vehicles for the NDLEA.
“The Council approved that the NDLEA buys 32 operational vehicles to enhance its operations.
“I am sure we have all noticed that there has been an improved performance on the part of the NDLEA in the last couple of months.
“Resulting from this enhanced performance, there has been the need for more operational vehicles.
“The good thing about the request is that all the operational vehicles are being bought from local vehicle assembly plants.
“The total cost is N821.7 million,’’ the minister said.
On his part, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, told newsmen that the Council approved a Nigeria Mining Chain Revolution Policy.
He explained that the policy would reduce the exportation of raw ore so that Nigeria could benefit more from its value chain.
“The ministry was able to pass a memo in Council.
It is essentially on a policy drive initiated by this administration and that is what we call Downstream Policy.
“Essentially, it’s to prevent us from exporting raw ore from Nigeria so that we can have some benefits before minerals are exported.
“Essentially, the policy was passed to discourage the exportation of raw ore from Nigeria,’’ Adegbite said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, the new Minister of State, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) has promised to impact her wealth of experience in the mining sector. Saraki made this known when she assumed duty, as the Minister of State Mines and Steel Development on Wednesday in Abuja. ” I will try my best to contribute my own quota to the growth of this sector. “We know how much is our solid mineral reserve in this country but we have concentrated more on crude oil for decades,” she said. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, who was the Minister of State, Ministry of Transport, was deployed to the Ministry of Mines as the State Minister. Saraki replaced Dr Okechuckwu Ogah, who resigned as Minister of State, to contest for the 2023 Governorship position in Abia. She commended the Minister of Mines and Steel Deveploment, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite for his efforts in moving the sector forward. She also appreciated the staff of the ministry for the warm reception accorded her upon as of office. Speaking, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Adegbite tasked Saraki to bring her wealth of experience to play in the sector. “Saraki was in the Senate where she performed very well, she has also contributed so much on this administration, we know that she will perform well in this ministry too.” He said that the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari was to diversify the economy through the mining sector, create jobs for the youth and also increase the GDP. Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, the Permanent Secretary, Mines and Steel Deveploment said the ministry had contributed immensely to the GDP in spite of its challenges. Akinlade, represented by Patrick Ojeka, the Director, Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Department, MMSD, said her deployment to the ministry would also contribute to the growth of the sector. ” We know that with your support we can still do better in this ministry and we have staff with wealth of experience from Grade Level eight to Director cadre that have been working tirelessly to move the sector forward. “We have performed very well in contributing to the GDP in spite of our numerous challenges.”
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) has awarded 19 staff members of the Ministry for their immense contributions to the growth of the mining sector. Adegbite gave the awards in commemoration of the week-long activities of the 2022 Africa Public Service Day Celebration on Monday in Abuja. The theme of the event for 2022 is: “Performance Management System: Impact on productivity in the Nigeria Public Sector”. The African Union (AU) sets aside June 23, as the “Africa Public Service Day (APSD) since 1999 and Nigeria has consistently commemorated the day annually with series of activities. The minister said that the 19 staff members were selected from various departments of the ministry, out of which three of them were distinguished with special awards. He also gave 27 retirees deep freezers for serving the ministry as well as the country meritoriously. Mrs Oluwatoyin Akinlade, the Permanent Secretary, MMSD, said that the APSD 2022 celebration was particularly remarkable because of its theme. “I must crave your indulgence that this is coming after the week that was officially set aside for the celebration. It was due to exigencies of duty, it is never too late to celebrate ourselves. ” The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) approved a full package of a week-long activity for this year, including Jumat and Church Services, Keep- session, a Town-hall Meeting and among others. “In the context of the passion of the HCSF for improved productivity and welfare of Civil Servants, there could not have been a better theme for this celebration. ” This can summarise the vision of the HCSF to make the service a world class system that drives optimum productivity through effective and efficient Performance Management. ” She has vigorously pursued the full implementation of the new Performance Management System through training of various categories of officers,” she said. Akinlade said that the ministry had also made efforts within the limit of its available resources to provide facilities that would enhance productivity and staff welfare. ” To the glory of God, we now have a clinic that can provide basic health services to all staff to ensure that our health is given adequate priority. “Many may be unaware that within these few months of operation of the clinic, health crises have been averted for some staff just through routine check by the medical team in the clinic. “Also, we can easily see the massive deployment of ICT infrastructure within office complex aimed at achieving the full automation of the work processes in the ministry. ” MMSD is among the first set of MDAs to receive these facilities and efforts are on to ensure that we blaze the trail in the service-wide project of work-process automation.” She said that the ministry had achieved a major improvement in the Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit (ACTU) rating from about 26.5 per cent to 74.5 per cent compliance, adding that the ministry had also surpassed its revenue projection. Mr Oseni Abdullahi, one of the retirees of the ministry appreciated the gesture, he advised civil servants to put in their best while serving the country.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
