The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Musa Mohammed Sada has described the World Bank projects Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project (SMMRP) in the country as an intervention mechanism on the on-going reform towards the full growth of all sectors of the African economy.

The Minister made this known today while commenting on a “World Bank Project Presentation by the SMMRP-Co-ordinator, Mr. Linus Adie on  Harnessing and  Development of  Minerals Deposits  in the Nigeria,  Agenda for New Direction in line with the National Mining Policy”  during  the Minister’s official working visit to the Project  Co-coordinating Unit in Garki II, Abuja.

He said“ Project Monitoring Units as a World Bank idea are catalysts towards helping mankind to  realize its potentials in both Africa and the entire world, the Ministry given its mandate of making the earth useful and good for all will no doubt remain the facilitator to enable the world bank  achieve its investments in improving the lot of all stakeholders in the sector”.

Arc.Sada contended that although the World Bank invests monies where it envisaged potentiality of a country, Nigeria as a Mining Nation alongside its OPEC Membership can favorably compete with any Nation in revamping its economy in accordance with the globalised economic pressure.

He pointed out that in as much as we are moving forward according to the dictates of the world economy, we should not forget that 70 per cent of our population in various communities where these minerals resources abound need immediate intervention on their  livelihood and other basic amenities of life.

The Minister added that in order to ensure that the Mining communities are not left behind in terms of contributing to the growth of the Nation’s economy both the Ministry and the Project Co-odinating Unit will embark on an awareness creation exercise by way of visiting and dialoguing with the communities so that a symmetrical relationship is built between miners and prospective investors.    

Arc.Sada then praised the resolve of the World Bank in helping Nigerian miners and all professionals in the sector towards realizing their aims and objectives of diversifying the nation’s economy in the area of sustainable minerals exploration of the available minerals abound in the country and pledged the Ministry’s support and co-operation in partnering with the World Bank at all times.

Earlier welcoming the Minister and his entourage,   the Project       Co-ordinator, Mr. Linus Adie intimated the Minister that in as much as the Sustainable Management of Minerals Resources Project (SMMRP) is a homegrown project under the auspices of World Bank, he foresee a future where everybody in Nigeria will boast of one mineral resource or the other from his or her state.

This, he said was as a result of  the price of Nigerian gold in the world market and the information got from a recent programme in Minna, Niger State on the high demand for Nigeria’s platinum in the world market.   

Mr. Linus outlined the activities of the Project Unit with a micro-grant of ten million US dollars as an intervention fund for sub- projects  such as mapping and carrying out of national cartographic  and geo-chemical survey, modification of the cadastre office, technical concessioning of bitumen, environmental regulations and passage of bill for the National Institute for  Mining and Geo-Science as well as interpretation of airborne geo-physical survey  from the World Bank, has achieved a lot within the  shortest period.

He congratulated the Minister for within the shortest time of his assumption of office approving the maintenance and fueling of all the project utility vehicles and assured him the readiness,  co-operation and support of the unit in carrying out the Ministry’s activities at all times.