FG Set 1Q 2022 for Completion of Kano Gold Souk

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The federal government has stated that the ongoing Kano Gold Soul project will attain completion in the first quarter of this year.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, made the disclosure in Kano while inspecting the construction of the Gold Souk.

Adegbite said the Gold Souk, which is being constructed in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, when completed and fully developed, would rival Gold Souk(s) in other parts of the world.

He said the establishment of the Souk in Kano is part of the current administration’s efforts to establish strategic Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining Clusters in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country to harness the potential of the Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (ASM) operators in the country.

The minister, who was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, and the Director, Artisanal and Small Scale Miner (ASM), Mr. Patrick Ojeka, was impressed with the level of work done even as the ground breaking took place four months ago.

In a statement made available in Abuja by the ministry, he said that the essence of the Gold Souk is about value addition, adding that: “We want our gold in Nigeria to be enhanced here; we add value, create jobs for our people, as well as generate revenue for government.

“It is important that we add value to our gold instead of taking it out in the raw form; we will make jewelries such as bangles, wristwatches, necklaces and so on and then people will know that there is a Souk in Nigeria where they can visit and buy just like in other part of the world.”

Adegbite charged the contractor to work faster and smarter while adhering strictly to the approved project masterplan.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Akinlade, said the ministry is doing all within its mandate to support ASM.

She said the federal government approved the establishment of clusters in the six geopolitical zones so as to develop the minerals in which each zone has comparative advantage.

These zones and the minerals being developed according to her, are Kaolin in the North-east (Bauchi), Gold Processing Plant in North-central (Kogi), Lead/Zinc in the South-east (Ebonyi) and Barite in the South-south (Cross River).

Others are the establishment of a gem stone market in the South-west (Oyo) and Gold Souk in the North-west (Kano).