By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has opened discussions with global players in the mineral resources value-chain in the areas of financing, equipment and new technology.
A statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Jibrin Baba Ndace, disclosed that the Governor is using the Dubai Mining Conference and Exhibition holding at the Dubai World Trade Centre to engage with global industry players and experts.
The Governor, who said he led the state team to the event in order to personally engage with right partners, noted that mineral resources value-chain was a highly technical area that require interface with key global players.
“Our commitment to diversifying the state economy requires partnership on a global scale. We are taking advantage of Dubai Mining Conference and Exhibition to meet and open discussion with various players in the industry.
“We need to engage right partners that have technical know-how, industry knowledge and global reach.
“We have also listened to various presentations by other countries and industry experts on shared experiences, learnt lessons, best practices, emerging trends, legislative frameworks, occupational safety and environmental concerns,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Governor Sani Bello, who said developing the mineral resources value-chain requires commitment and painstaking efforts, disclosed that the administration was determined to deploying short, medium and long term strategy in the area.
“We are determined to engage with industry players differently. We are committed to deploy new strategies in maximizing huge potentials available in the state. We are mindful of environmental and safety concern prevalent in the sector,” he said.
Governor Sani Bello reiterated his commitment to developing the sector through collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steels Development revealed that Niger State was open and safe for investors.
“Within the last two years of this administration in the state, we have taken bold step to reposition the sector. We have established a new ministry of mineral resources specifically to focus on maximizing the state potentials in the area,” Mr Sani Bello said.
The Dubai Conference and Exhibition included presentations on news trends, emerging technologies and opportunities is the largest mining and quarrying conference and expo for the Middle East, Africa, Central Africa and South Asia and ‘an excellent forum for networking and industrial collaboration’.
On the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello team were Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Mr Ahmed Marafa Guni; Chairman, House Committee on Investment, Mr Umar Mohammed Nurudeen; Chief of Staff, Mr Mikhail Al-Amin Bmitosahi; Commissioner of Finance, Mr Ibrahim Balarabe; and Commissioner of Mineral Resources, Mr Mudi Mohammed.
Others included Managing Director of Zuma Mining Company, Mr Ismaila Ibrahim; Director Mining, Ministry of Minerals Resources, Mr Adamu Garba; and President, Miners Association Niger State, Mr Obed Kango.
