The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on Wednesday, said that the Bola Tinubu administration had attracted over $800 million in direct foreign investment into the mining sector in Nasarawa State.
Alake disclosed this during Tinubu’s one-day presidential visit to the state to inaugurate projects carried out by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
“Currently, because of the positive effect of this local value addition policy, in Nasarawa State alone, we have attracted over $800 million in direct foreign investment into the sector.
“Only three days, I sealed another historic deal of a $400 million rare earth minerals and critical metals plant, which is the largest in Africa, to be sited in Nasarawa State,” he said.
The minister said that although the $400 million rare earth minerals and critical metals plant, which would create over 10,000 jobs, would be located in Nasarawa State, separation centres would be established in other geopolitical zones of the country.
He said, “This Africa’s largest rare earth minerals is going to be sited in Nasarawa State. However, it is going to generate, at completion, over 10,000 jobs.
“And so, we have asked them to put their separation centres in other geopolitical zones of the country so that all parts of Nigeria will benefit from this landmark achievement.”
Pushbacks From Opposition
The minister also said that the ministry had faced resistance from those who did not have the country’s best interests at heart.
Alake said, “We have also confronted challenges. The mine marshals, because of their uncompromising stands against illegal mining operations, have been blackmailed; they have been subjected to all kinds of harassment.
“But I tell them all the time that we take a cue from the President; once he puts his hands on the plough, there is no looking back. And in spite of the wailings of the naysayers, in spite of those who are cobbling together a coalition to perdition, Mr. President has put his hands on the plough and there is no looking back.”
