Acknowledging the lull in the prices of commodities in the Mining Sector, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke is confident that Nigeria could take  advantage of the lull to re-strategize  and position the Solid Minerals Sector for the optimal  benefit of  price swing that would come in the nearest  future.

She gave this assurance during a meeting with a delegation of Northern State Chambers’ of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) in her office.

The Minister who noted   the downturn of the global economy said that the lull periods would create an opportunity to establish and develop a strategic framework that would enable the nation take optimal advantage of the higher prices in the next 2 – 3 years.

According to the Minister, “Gold is doing very well in the commodity market and investors are still putting a lot into Gold “she said that the Federal Government would look at minerals such as Gold in a different version in the short, medium and long term.

The Minister who noted that a lot of rich mineral resources are embedded in the Northern Belt of Nigeria commended the initiative of  CONSCCIMA to work together as stakeholders.

She then called for a Stakeholders’ Conference and Workshop to give room for the technical staff of the Ministry and other stakeholders in the Sector to come up with pragmatic and realistic steps to move the sector forward.

She assured the delegation of the Ministry’s active participation in the World Mining Investment Congress in London later this year with a view to showcasing the mineral potentials of Nigeria, thereby attracting the international investors into the sector.

Mrs. Allison- Madueke who decried the stunted rate of development of Solid Mineral Sector said that a separate organization to handle the technical aspect of the sector and ensure continued growth and development of the sector over the years would be put in place.

Earlier in his presentation, the leader of the delegation and Chairman, Northern State Chambers’ of Commerce , Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA), Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, said that the global financial crisis showed that Nigeria must diversify her revenue base and give priority attention to non-oil exports.

Alhaji Jani Ibrahim said that CONSCCIMA organized the Northern Nigeria Economic and Investment Summit last year where participants unanimously agreed to seek ways to achieve the accelerated development of its solid mineral resources.

He said that part of the efforts to implement the decisions   was the partnership with the organizers of the World Mining Investment Congress in London, adding that, the choice of London was deliberate so as to leverage on Nigeria’s long political and economic relationship with Britain, being the pioneers of mining activities in Nigeria.