The Progressive Miners Empowerment Association (PMEA) on Monday said the mining sector could contribute 10 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020 if there was the political will.
The President of the association, Sunday Ekozin, who stated this in Abuja, said that with good regulation of the industry and “political will”, the target would be attained.
The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had in 2012 launched a roadmap to the development of the solid minerals sector.
The ministry established some goals, which included increasing the mining sector’s contribution to the GDP from 0.4 per cent to 10 per cent and the production of geological maps covering the entire country in 2020.
“Everybody is aware of the fact that Nigeria is hugely endowed in terms of solid mineral resources. The problem has been how to harness these potential.
“We have heard several talks on the matter but I think that the target of developing the solid minerals sector by 2014 and beyond is achievable if the government matches its words with actions,’’ Ekozin said.
He described the Federal Government’s strategies toward developing the mining sector between 2014 and 2020 as “good and pragmatic”, saying that the plans were achievable if there was a political will.
He recall that he had in 2009 conducted a study which revealed that more than two million jobs could be created in the mining sector and expressed delight that the government had made the same projection.
“To me, I stand by the creation of two million jobs in 2014 if all the parameters submitted to the government are considered but it is one thing to make proposals and another thing to implement the proposals. “My emphasis as an operator and as someone who has put in more than 24 years in mining activities has always been when we speak, let us walk the talk.
“If we walk the talk, all of these aspirations are achievable but let me tell you the major impediment and hindrance to the development of the mining sector is lack of political will,’’ he said.
Okonzie disclosed that the World Bank’s first phase intervention fund of 120 million dollars for mining sector, which disbursement started in 2004 ended in May, 2013 after series of extensions.
He, however, regretted that the second phase, which involved 80 million dollars for small and medium scale mining operations in the country, could not be implemented due to the poor handling of the first phase funds.
“If the first step was right, the second step will automatically be right but the first step was wrong because it was wrongly managed.
“The second step cannot come. You do not except the World Bank to dish out money when they are not seeing commensurate results from their interventions; this is what we are suffering.
“Nevertheless, I am very optimistic that once we carry out some reassessment and re-evaluation while repositioning ourselves to do the right thing at the right time and in a patriotic manner, all will work out well,’’ he said.
Ekozin stressed that if right things were done, the challenges facing the country’s solid mineral development would be overcome.
NAN
