TheCable

Adebayo Shittu, former minister of communications has commended Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, for re-igniting national interest in the solid minerals sector.

Shittu spoke on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the minister.

The former minister was accompanied by Osita Okechukwu, former director-general of the Voice of Nigeria.

He said the sector holds the key to sustainable diversification of the economy.

“Nigeria, blessed with abundant mineral resources, has no reason to be dependent on dwindling oil revenue,” he said.

He also said Alake has taken the bull by the horns in turning the tide with ongoing reforms of the mining sector, in line with his 7-point agenda.

On his part, Alake, restated the commitment of the Tinubu administration to make solid minerals the nation’s highest revenue earner, adding that bottlenecks and challenges hampering seamless mining operations are being addressed.

“We are concentrating on exploring and exploiting at least eight (8) minerals that we have the comparable advantage, and we have in immense commercially viable quantities,” the minister said.

“So we are addressing all bottlenecks, from challenges of insecurity to the menace of unlicensed miners to getting the buy-in of host communities, protecting their rights, and factoring their dues into mine operations.

“We have the full support of President Bola Tinubu, we are reviewing policies to be executed soon.”

The minister also said the mining sector is poised to be the most attractive for foreign and local investments.