The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, disclosed that Federal Government will promote information-based investment through mining in Kaduna State.
Ogah made this known in his address at the just concluded 2021 Kaduna State Economic and Investment Summit, ‘Kadinvest’, with the theme ‘Towards Sustainable Knowledge-based Economy’.
Speaking on effort of the Ministry on information-based knowledge activities in Kaduna State, he said the Federal Government through NGSA has generated preliminary geoscience data that can guide potential investors on the proper identification of “hot spot” areas for detailed exploration across Kaduna State.
He maintained that mining remains a sector driven by information-based investment on reliable and credible geoscience information, which the Ministry currently works on to mining investors and investments into Kaduna State.
He further stated that in Kaduna State, the Ministry has established major agencies that are operating in Kaduna State, which include the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency & National Steel Raw Materials Exploration for generation of geoscience data on minerals of interest and the Mining Cadastre Office for title acquisition and administration.
He also appreciated the fact that there is mineral deposits in commercial quantities in Kaduna State, which also is strategically located in the mineral map of Nigeria, stated that the State is endowed with a lot of solid minerals, especially minerals of the future, enjoined prospective investors to liaise with the relevant Agencies of the Ministry of Mines and Steel development for necessary information to guide them in making their investment decisions.
He said: “I am confident that reliable information from these agencies on the minerals and metal sector will guide prospective investors in making knowledge-based decisions.”
Meanwhile, he (Ogah) assured that to ensure Federal Government achieves its mandate of diversifying the economy and growing the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, pledged support to develop mineral resources that abound in Kaduna State.
He also commended the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for keying into the Buhari-led administion’s vision of diversifying the Nigerian economy through the agricultural and minerals sectors, and added that El-Rufai’s economic initiative would attract investors to the country and his State in particular.