Alex Enemanna
The federal government has assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure that all participants at the 2022 edition of the annual Nigeria Mining Week are protected, promising an enhanced experience for all stakeholders in the mining value chain.
At a media briefing on Thursday ahead of the November 1 commencement date of the 3-day event in Abuja, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite urged intending participants from within and outside the country not to entertain fears as security agencies are working round the clock to protect the residents of Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The Minister who was reacting to a recent security alert by the US embassy in Nigeria expressed optimism that the arrest of terror suspects by the officials of the Department of State Services, DSS in Lugbe a suburb of Abuja is a major breakthrough in guaranteeing a safe Mining Week 2022, which is holding its 6th edition this year.
The US had in its alert listed government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transport terminals and others as possible targets for terror attack.
“I can tell you that the Nigerian security apparatus, in totality of it, the military, the para-military, the DSS and entirety of the operatives are dealing with the issues raised by our friends and partners.
“I can assure you that even at the event itself, adequate security will be provided, we will make sure that people coming in are those with genuine intentions, not those with a nefarious intention” the Minister said.
With the theme, “Successes and Achievements in the Nigerian Mining Sector” the Minister said the event will highlight the “giant strides” the current administration has made through the mining sector which is one of cardinal drivers of the FG’s diversification agenda.
Arc. Adegbite further stressed that mining sector is critical in efforts to go green in renewable energy, adding that the major materials required for renewable energy, such as copper, aluminum, lithium and others critical in manufacturing solar panels come through mining.
“One of the key issues to be discussed would include the vital mineral resources of the future which are the building blocks for many technologies providing us with green renewable energy, while allowing us to keep in line with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) global standards.
“We shall also deliberate on the acquisition of bankable geoscientific data, the efficient and transparent mineral title administration processes, as well as downstream opportunities in the Mining Sector and the Nigerian Mineral value-chain Regulations, 2021.
“Indeed, the future minerals are globally recognized as vital for the economic wellbeing of the world’s major and emerging economies, as they are essential for producing new energies and technologies. These minerals primarily comprise of copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, platinum group minerals, and to a lesser extent, aluminum, chromium, graphite, manganese, rare earth elements, and zinc.
“Over the next two decades, the mineral demand from electric vehicles and battery storage is predicted to grow astronomically. Thus, the development of these minerals or the lack thereof will determine the economic strength or weakness of a developing nation like Nigeria” he added.
In his remarks, the Head of the mining sector for PriceWater Coopers, PwC in Nigeria, Habeeb Jaiyeola noted that the 2022 Mining Week is an opportunity to showcase the achievements the federal government has made in the sector over the years.
While encouraging intending participants to quickly register online, he noted that the event will witness a showcase of mineral resources that have been developed as well as the excitement the sector has brought locally and internationally.
Among issues to be discussed he said are Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) global standards, women and child labour issues, financing which he described as a key challenge in the sector, ongoing projects and more.
Also speaking, one of the promoters of the event and the Business Development Manager of Vuka Group, Kudakwashe Tsingano said the decision to hold the 2022 Nigeria Mining Week at International Conference Centre Abuja is a deliberate effort to accommodate the larger interest it has attracted over the years.
He applauded the theme, noting that it will also identify the challenges within the sector and ways to overcome them.
The acting President of Miners Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Musa Muhammad said the annual event has generated enormous interest, expressing hope that the 2022 edition will engender a robust conversation to reposition.
He applauded the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Adegbite, partners and promoters of the event for their untiring efforts over the years which has sustained the yearly activity.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade thanked the media partners, particularly The Rock Post magazine for giving the Nigeria Mining Week the needed publicity which according to her has further assisted in stimulating the interest of stakeholders.
