…They’ll Kick Off Before 2023 End – FGN
Several months into the commissioning of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) clusters in the country’s six geopolitical zones by the federal government, tongues have started wagging among stakeholders as nothing has practically started happening at the centres.
As part of efforts to reposition the solid minerals sector in line with the mining sector-focused diversification agenda of the federal government, the immediate past administration embarked on the establishment of the six mining hubs across the country in 2021.
The plan for the zonal mining projects situates each cluster according to the minerals in which a particular zone has comparative advantage as follows: Gold Smelting Plant in Mopa, Kogi State for the North-Central; Gold Souk International Trading Centre in Kano, Kano State for the Northwest; International Gemstone Market, Ojo in Ibadan, Oyo State for the South-West; Barite Processing Plant in Ugaga, Yala, Cross River State for the South-South; Kaolin Ore Processing Plant in Alkaleri Gwaram, Bauchi State; and Lead/Zink Processing Cluster in Ebonyi for the South-East.
At the twilight of the same administration, virtually all the projects were said to have been completed, climaxing in their respective commissioning by the immediate past Minister, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, after which activities were expected to commence.
However, none of the centres has yet had the least of activities, as confirmed by the concerns expressed by stakeholders and the checks carried out by The Rock Post.
An artisanal miner from the south-south geopolitical zone who spoke under anonymity said the establishment of a Barite processing centre in Cross River State for the zone is laudable, considering the rich deposits of the mineral in the area, but expressed concern over the delay in the take-off of activities there months after its commissioning.
“It’s a laudable project because of the vast reserves of Barite Ore in the area, but we have not seen anything happen there yet, I only know it was commissioned months ago by the last Minister”, he said, adding that he has about six persons working with him, and if the centre becomes operational, it would boost their production and create the opportunity for more people to be engaged.
The Ibadan International Gemstone Market for the Southwest is not left out of the inactivity story as stakeholders said they were yet to witness any buying-and-selling activities in the area.
On his part, President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dele Ayanleke who hails from the zone said the centre is there, ready, but as much as he was aware “no business activities yet”.
When asked what would have been responsible for the delay in the take-off of business activities months after it was commissioned, he said, “I am not in the position to tell you; you can approach the ministry for better explanation.”
He however expressed strong hope that with the aggressive move of the current Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, towards reviving the sector and making Nigeria a mining destination globally, business activities at the centre, and the other five in the country might kick off anytime soon.
Checks by our correspondent also revealed that the story is virtually the same for all the other established centres.
On the government side, the director, Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Yunusa Mohammed, who confirmed that activities had not commenced at any of the centres explained that the current administration which is barely some months old inherited the projects commissioned by the immediate past administration, adding that preparations were already at an advanced stage to conclude arrangements for businesses to kick off.
“The mining clusters projects were commissioned just before the last administration left the stage, so this administration inherited the commissioned projects. The question is, now that they have been commissioned, what next?
“The essence of putting those clusters in place is to ensure that artisanal and small-scale miners actually benefit from their activities, by doing it in a more organised manner. But what people don’t understand is that of the six mining clusters, only two are marketing centres where artisanal and small-scale miners would take their products of mining, so that after processing, they have a ready market for them.
“The rest four are processing centres where artisanal and small-scale miners around that area can take the minerals they mine to have them processed, talking about value addition here, for them to have more value for their labour, while creating jobs and contributing to the revenue stream of government in their little way,” Mohammed said.
According to him, the Ibadan gemstone centre and the Kano gold Souk are both marketing points whereas the other four are processing centres.
He said the first phase of infrastructure building for all the centres had been accomplished, with the exception of the Ebonyi centre which still needs some touches and will soon be ready, adding that the next phase which is operationalisation of the centres also requires careful planning and funding which is why it is taking sometime to kick off.
Mohammed disclosed that the centres are expected to come on stream any time before the year (2023) runs out, adding that seeing the passion and vigour with which the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, is pursuing the mandate of diversifying the economy by making the sector a viable replacement for oil in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of the current administration, the coast is clear.
He said the Ibadan centre was faced with flood challenge due to its location but had been worked on to forestall any disaster when the market becomes operational.
According ASM director, the process of operationalising the centres involves a public-private-partnership arrangement and the process is now at the procurement level and expected to be completed as soon as possible.
“We are in the process of partnership whereby shortlisting is already done. What is left now to operationalise the centres is procurement for which we have done the bill of quantity, but it all requires more funding,” he said.
He also pointed out the issue of security as another dimension to the issue being addressed for smooth and sustainable operations at the centres, adding that the ministry was already talking to relevant security agencies about it.
Also according to Mohammed, development of the centres will be an ongoing thing as there are plans to ensure that the infrastructures get expanded with time to accommodate other vital businesses, thus making the centres one-stop shops whereby people can get other key products and services beside the main business of mineral processing or marketing.
