The Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Dele Alake has harped on the need for value addition for Nigeria’s Solid Mineral resources.
Alake stated this when he paid a visit to the African Natural Resources Mines Limited plant (ANRML) at Gujeni, Kagarko LGA in Kaduna state yesterday.
Alake who was there alongside the minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, said local value addition is a critical part of the ministry’s seven-point agenda.
“Last week, I made the point that we will no longer licence any company that wants to engage in our mining sector without any concrete plan for any local value addition. So today’s event is a milestone because here is a company that has obeyed our admonition and in concrete terms, shown the whole world what local value addition means.
“It’s not just going to mine our iron ore and export it away but they are going to process and refine it here. So, I am happy that we have an example to show to the rest of the companies that are in Nigeria’s Mineral sector. This is a company that is worthy of emulation and I commend the GMD for this remarkable achievement.” Alake said.
The group managing director, African Industries Group, Alok Gupta, said the real wealth of a nation lies in its natural resources.
He said: “Nigeria, a nation of strength, resilience and limitless potential is blessed with abundant natural resources. Our Iron ore mining and processing plant is Nigeria’s largest non-oil FDI and marks a significant stride in the direction of utilising this wealth to make real wealth for Nigeria.We have a mining capacity of over five million tonnes per annum. The Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) produced here will be a direct substitute for ferrous scrap currently used as raw material for producing steel in Nigeria. It will also gradually position Nigeria as a prominent Crude Steel producer globally.”Gupta said.
He added that African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) has created direct and indirect employment for up to 4000 Nigerians, giving regular disposable income to feed many families. He said the company is a testimony of the government’s commitment to reduce steel importation, promote local manufacturing, boost foreign reserves, and contribute to GDP.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite said the ministry’s industrial revitalisation plan approved by the Federal Executive Council has a full focus on the steel sector because the sector is the bedrock of infrastructural development which leads to industrial revitalisation.
He commended the company for aligning with the federal government’s renewed Hope Agenda.