TheCable

Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa has said the state has diamond in commercial quantity awaiting exploitation.

Nyako made the disclosure in Yola on Sunday while fielding questions from newsmen on resource control.

He said the state also has coal and other natural resources, quoting a recent survey conducted by foreign experts which confirmed the availability of the mineral resources.

The governor added that “in fact, the recent survey by Russians in Adamawa showed we have commercial quantity of diamond. We also have lots of coal and you know that where there is coal, there is gas.”

He noted that the gas could be used to produce sufficient fertiliser not only for farmers in the country, but also for export.

He said that the issue of resource exploration and exploitation could only be addressed by giving sufficient time for implementation to give room for non-oil producing states to prepare for the readjustment.

“There is nothing as traumatising as a sudden change to man. If today you say from next year no money is coming to Adamawa from the share of crude oil, how do we survive?

“But if you give us 10 years notice from now, we will find a way out. We have a lot of minerals here.”