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Export of raw minerals to be banned soon – Fayemi

By on April 7, 2017

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that government has put in place measures to stop exportation of raw solid minerals by October.

Fayemi stated this in a lecture titled ‘Nigeria’s Solid Minerals: Prospects and Challenges and the Nation’s Quest for Economic Diversification’, delivered in Abuja at the induction programme for non-career ambassadors-designate.

“Before now, a lot of illegality had been going in the sector. People were just shipping out raw minerals which has informed government policy or decision of banning the unprocessed minerals.

“In the next six months raw minerals would not be allowed to be exported because beneficiation is a priority to this government rather than just exportation of the raw minerals,” he said.

He said any miner ready to invest in the sector must be willing to set up processing plants in host communities in order to create jobs for the people.

He explained that the enforcement of the ban would not be done arbitrarily as the investors would be given time to establish their processing plants.

The minister also called for partnership of state governments towards developing the mining sector in the country.

Fayemi noted that given the fact that mining takes place in locations in states, there was need for partnership with host communities and the state government to achieve results.

He said the right to issuance of consent given to host communities had been abused over the years, adding that the intervention of the state government was paramount.

 

[DailyTrust]