The Miners Association of Nigeria Miners says the mining sector holds a huge potential in contributing to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and is capable of generating enough foreign exchange if there is proper synergy and partnership between the federal government and private miners.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the association, Sani Shehu, who spoke at the 2023 delegates election of new executive members of the body in Abuja, said harnessing mining potential is another sure way the federal government can earn more forex, especially in the face of rising inflation.
He said, “Mining is a very critical sector more than ever before and government is under serious pressure as to source its forex but unfortunately in Nigeria, a dollar yesterday was N900 and I think this is very sad and if you look at the world economy there is no option of strengthening the naira than to source for more dollars and happily more of these mineral resources are dollar end products and very few are naira sourced.
“The mining sector and miners as operators have a critical role to play in terms of generating foreign exchange and therefore we have known how important we are and work close with government to give us all the support we want.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, who was represented by Engineer Okhunoya Sunday Onah of the mining inspectorate department of the ministry, lamented that minerals such as columbite, tantalite, lead/zinc and tin are exported and others are exported raw to Asian countries and Europe at ridiculous prices without value addition, adding that it had not helped technological and industrial growth of Nigeria.
He urged the association to encourage research and development that could encourage value addition to most of the mineral that the nation is endowed with.
The new president of the association, Dele Ayanleke who scored 137 votes to defeat his rival, in his acceptance speech, promised to re-engineer, reposition and restructure the body even as he noted that the association over the years had lost its goodwill and became a pariah in the scheme of industry reckoning.
Other members of the executive who were administered oath of office include the national secretary, Suleiman Arzuka; national publicity secretary, Fatai Jimoh; national treasurer, Sulaiman Liman; vice president, Ibrahim Danyaro; assistant secretary, Shehu Dinawa and financial secretary, Tope Adebanjo.
