Group Partners FCTA on Making Abuja Gold Buying Centre

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

A group, Precious Metal Gold Processors and Exporters Association of Nigeria, is seeking to partner with the Federal Capital Territory Administration towards the establishment of a gold buying centre in Abuja.

The group’s national chairman, Muhammed Ahmed Masud, made the call yesterday when he led a delegation to FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.

He reckoned the establishment of the centre would serve as the next gold trading hub attracting investors from other parts of the globe, in the same manner as the gold buying centre of Dubai Gold Souk in the United Arab Emirates.

Masud noted that the establishment of the centre in Abuja would further create the enabling environment to operate in line with the federal government policies on diversification of the economy to non-oil sector particularly gold mining, processing and exporting.

“The establishment of the Nigerian gold buying centre will no doubt generate more revenue, boost sustainable economic growth, increase investors traffic and create job opportunities for the country,” he said.

He averred that gold mining industry contributed over $171 billion to global economy, noting that as a major stakeholder in the mining sector the presence of the association in FCT would bring all mining stakeholders together under one umbrella.

In her response, Aliyu, who was represented by the Special Assistant on Technical Matters, Mudiyu Mustapha, assured the group that the administration would partner the association and other viable organisations with programmes and policies geared towards the development of the territory.

She commended the association for the proposed partnership, assuring that the present FCT Administration has keyed into the federal government policy on diversification.