The House of Representatives on Thursday said the Miners Association of Nigeria needed serious intervention for the country to benefit from other sectors of the economy apart from oil and gas.
Rep. Adams Jagaba who represented the Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Rep. Datti Garba, said this while receiving members of the association in Abuja.
Jagaba advised the association to find out available funds in the relevant agencies and report back to the committee to enable it to do a follow up in accessing fund for its members.
“Do a little research and come for an interactive session for the committee to be well informed and assist the association in getting funds.
“If there is any legislation we are going to do to ease the accessibility of the fund or sponsor a bill, we will do that,” he said.
Rep. Henry Nwawuba (Imo-PDP) said that “we will be looking at you in developing the road map; maybe there is an existing road map.
“When next we sit with you, we should be able to know that we have stopped the importation of barite.
“As legislators we can give you legislative solutions, we can back it up law we can enforce during oversight. A lot unfortunately is still going to come from you,” he said.
According to him, “We need a serious intervention. You know there is N220 billion in Small Medium Enterprises fund.”
He also said that NEXIM bank had 450 million dollars and only two miners were able to access the loan to the point that they almost returned the fund.
He added that Nigeria had miners association who needed to access the fund.
“This is the time to really sit down and work and come up with a documentation; put up the processes and policies in place that can drive the sector. We are ready to work with you,” he said.
Alhaji Sani Shehu, President of the association, said the government should invest in mining for the economic benefit of the country.
“The government should fund this development and ensure we get it for the purpose of mining in Nigeria.
“The association is developing the miners mechanisation programme which will source machinery and we are talking with the NEXIM bank.
“We give these machinery to small scale miners to pay, maybe in 10 years and also hire to others,” he said.
Follow Us