By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade on Tuesday in Moba performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gold Processing Cluster, located in Mopa, Mopamuro local government area of Kogi State.
Dr. Akinlade who led the Federal government team for the event said the projects is part of the Federal government’s efforts to diversify the Nation’s economy from oil.
The permanent secretary said the Gold Processing Cluster will also cater for other Gems stones and solid mineral mining activities in the North Central of the country.
“The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has commenced the implementation of programmes aimed at establishing and accelerating mineral value chain activities through the development of a Mineral Mining cluster in each of the six geopolitical zone.” he said
“The objective of the project is to Assembly and coordinate the activities of the artisanal and small scale miners in the identified areas based on the identified mineral type for each geopolitical zone.”
“The mining cluster is to provide common facilities and coordinated activities to enable easy formalization of the artisanal miners in the identified zones and avail them an opportunity for mineral value addition, as well as creation of market access.”
The Permanent secretary said the project is expected to be commissioned by ending of June, and become operational immediately.
The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello said the state government will consolidate on the idea of the Gold Processing Cluster in diversifying the economy of the state.
Bello who was represented at the event by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo said, “We thank Mr. President for this project. This will spur the economy of the state. It will create jobs and make Kogi the economic hubs of the country.”
“It will increase the trading of the state. This underscore the economic blueprint of the state government in making the state the giant in industrial sector amongst other states in the country”
Fanwo who promised that the state will ensure proper security of the projects, urged stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunities to come to Kogi state to invest.
