Governor of Bauchi State Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has inaugurated a newly established Kaolin Ore Processing Plant at Gwaram community of Alkaleri local government area of the state.
Speaking at the occasion, the governor said the state government is determined and ready to continue to work with Miners Association of Nigeria, Kaolin Millers Association, Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMC) and all other stakeholders on how to improve the value chain of the raw material.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim, Governor Bala Mohammed said his administration had established the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2020 with the aimed of complementing federal government’s effort in streamlining the activities of solid mineral resources in addition to repositioning Bauchi Mining and Exploration Limited (BAMSEL).
According to him, so far, the Bauchi Mining and Exploration Limited has acquired 17 licences comprising 9 exploration licences, 7 small scale mining leases and 1 reconnaissance survey permit which makes it top ranking in the North-East.
“I am delighted to be part of this important and most auspicious occasion which is essentially a journey of promises and fulfilments. What we are witnessing today started with the recommendations by the Economic Sustainability Plan Committee of the Federal Government in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The Federal Government had accordingly requested the Bauchi State Government for a piece of land for the setting up of the Artisanal and Small- scale Mining (ASM) Cluster and the Need Assessment for the North-East Geopolitical Zone. This noble objective has been achieved as we gather here today to commission the Kaolin Ore Processing Plant.
“Kaolin being important raw material with a wider spectrum of industrial applications is abundant in more than 5 Local Government Areas in Bauchi State and indeed the North-East Geopolitical Zone. It is estimated that annual national demand of Kaolin stands at 350,000 Metric Tons while local production is only 25,000, Metric Tons leaving a huge deficit annually.
“This deficit will definitely create a humungous capital flight due to importation. This Cluster is a special type being earmarked for an index Pharmaceutical Ingredient (IPL). There is no doubt, that the ASM Cluster will help North-East and Nigeria at large to achieve the long desired national policy on local content, substitution and deletion of mineral resources,” he said.
The governor gave assurance that Bauchi State will collaborate with the other five states in the Northeast on the cluster through the Artisanal and Small- scale Mining (ASM) Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development by providing security and infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water supply for the optimum operations of the cluster.
On his part, the minister of mines and steel development, Architect Olamilekan Adegbite explained that the Bauchi Kaolin Ore Processing plant would process Kaolin needed by the pharmaceutical industry in the country.
