By Dipo Olowookere
Ogun State Governor, Mr Ibikunle Amosun, on Friday, affirmed that Ogun State is the mining capital of Nigeria.
Mr Amosun stated this while receiving the Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Mr Kayode Fayemi, who paid him courtesy visit in Abeokuta.
Corroborating his claim, Governor Amosun revealed that recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicates that Ogun State accounts for about 40 percent of the mining resources in the country, which makes it the leading state in the mining sector in Nigeria.
While expressing satisfaction with this development, which is a testament to the industrialisation effort of his administration, Governor Amosun however complained that this has not reflected in the revenue profile of the state from the Federal government.
Shortly after the visit, the Minister and the Governor then proceeded to the June 12 Cultural Center, Abeokuta, for a town hall meeting with stakeholders in the mining sector in Ogun State.
Speaking at the town hall meeting, Mr Fayemi stated that Ogun State is not only the mining capital of Nigeria but also the bitumen capital of the country.
Looking at these developments, Governor Amosun said the stakeholders’ meeting came at the right time especially in this critical period in the annals of the nation’s economy where focus is more on the non-oil sector.
Governor Amosun added that the mining sector has great potentials to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product of the country.
He added that mining holds huge potentials for employment and wealth creation.
In spite of all these, the Governor however warned that the welfare and condition of the people in the local areas where these mining explorations were happening must be put into consideration.
Mr Fayemi on his part emphasized the need for the Federal and state governments to synergize towards maximising the opportunities in the mines and steel sector in order to enhance the nation’s economic development.
The Minister added that the Federal government takes cognisance of the potentials of Ogun State in the area of mining as the state ranks best in the country among the states where quarry activities thrives.
He assured that all the mining related challenges affecting the state would be addressed.
In his welcome address, at the Stakeholders’ meeting, the State commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, revealed that the meeting was meant to bring stakeholders in the mining industry together and exchange ideas on the best ways to maximize the potentials presented by the naturally endowed resources in the state.
In their separate goodwill messages, the representatives of Dangote group, Lafarge Africa and Quarry and Mining Association affirmed that any industrialist in Nigeria who is not in Ogun State is still not an industrialist.
