Governor Sule of Nasarawa recieving letter from Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, representative of Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, during a courtesy call on the Governor, at Government House, on Friday.
By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia-
Nasarawa State internally generated revenue from solid minerals royalty has hit one (1) billion naira monthly, making it number four in the country.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed this in Lafia, during a courtesy call on Governor Abdullahi Sule, of Nasarawa State, at Government House, on Friday.
Represented by Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, the Director General, Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Abuja, the minister said the state is coming fourth behind Ogun, Osun and Kogi States.
The minister who said anywhere mineral is found, there must be chaos and insecurity, disclosed that the lingering conflict over a mining sites in Nasarawa Local Government Area involving two companies and the state government, has been put to rest.
The minister who expressed joy that the state hasn’t be turned to theatre of war, commented the Governor, for providing an enabling environment for the establishment of the largest lithium processing factory in the world.
The minister’s representative also conveyed the ministry’s approval to Nasarawa State, to host the forthcoming 6th conference of National Council for Mining and Mineral Resources Development meeting in November.
The minister who said, the state was to host the conference some years back, but it was shifted due to Covid 19, hinted that the choice of the state was due to the committment of the Governor in the solid minerals sector.
Earlier in a welcome address, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Kwanta Yakubu, thanked the minister and his entourage for the visit and approval of the hosting right of the conference.
Kwanta, who thanked the minister for having the state at heart, assured that the forth coming 6th conference of National Council for Mining and Mineral Resources Development meeting in November, will be well hosted.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, while responding to the minister’s speech, thanked the Ministry for resolving the lingering crisis between the state government and two mining companies.
Governor Sule, who also drew attention to other lithium deposit sites in Kokona and Keana, also thanked the Ministry for approving the hosting right of the forthcoming 6th National Council for Mining and Mineral Resources Development meeting in November, this year.
He assured of his support to the conference and equitable distribution of the proceeds of the royalties accruing to the state to the host communities and local governments where the minerals are domiciled.
