Federal Government to establish shops for solid minerals’ exportation.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sada, 

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sada, has said the Federal Government would soon establish solid minerals shops in the country with a view to promoting the exportation of minerals.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, Sada said the shops would be established in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

“We will not buy the minerals as a government. The miners will work as cooperative societies; they will bring the minerals and somebody in NEPC will now take responsibility for the minerals’ marketing abroad.

“All you need is to get certification as to the type of minerals you have and the quantity you brought.

“When they sell the minerals, they will now come and give you your money. They are experts in this kind of trade.

“Anybody mining will be licenced either as a company, individual or cooperative society, and this licence specifically states the kind of minerals you are involved in,” he said.

Sada said that his ministry and the Ministry of Trade and Investment had planned to attach the mineral buying centres to the commodity exchange, adding that it would also issue minerals buying rights to some people.

He said that under this arrangement, there would be a section for agricultural products, solid minerals products, other products at the commodity exchange.

He pledged that the arrangement would be carried out in line with global best practices.

Besides, the minister said that the ministry had always participated in the trade fairs organised in Kaduna, Lagos, Enugu and Abuja to educate investors and the public on how to invest in the mining sector.

He said the ministry also encouraged its state offices to participate in all the trade fairs in the 36 states because mining was all about information.

Sada said the centre had also given information to Nigerians who wanted to invest in the mining sector.

He said the proliferation of quarries around the country had indicated that local people could produce enough gravel for contractors to buy, adding that they had made a lot of contribution to the system. (Source-Punch)