Tinubu: Nigeria is Truly Proud of Nasarawa State for the Strides Taken in Mining Sector

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, said the countrywas ‘truly proud’ of Nasarawa State, particularly for the strides it has taken within the mining sector.

He stated this on the occasion of Nasarawa Investment Summit held in Lafia, the state capital.

He said Nasarawa had shown great vision that their vast lithium deposit was processed in the country by ensuring that raw materials were not exported out of the country without any value addition in line with the renewed hope agenda of his administration.

Represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, Tinubu said, “Lithium is the future and the future is very electrifying. Manufacturers continued to produce cars, trucks that use lithium batteries rather than fossil fuels.

“Therefore, we as a country must prepare for this by ensuring to take full advantage of this for the global demand of lithium, by developing more processing plants in Nasarawa and even across other states that are rich in lithium and Nigeria as a whole.”

The president added that the federal government would continue to actively put measures in place to continue to support the mining sector to catalyse local and foreign investors.

“It is in recognition of the critical role of the industrial sector in the growth and development of the national economy that the government, through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has continued to implement laudable programmes and projects aimed at supporting small and medium scale enterprises.

“This initiative includes access to finance and capacity building,” Tinubu said.

Welcoming guests at the summit, Governor Abdulkahi Sule, pointed out that, as a state, Nasarawa had been deliberate in stimulating the economy, building human capacities, creating wealth and generating employment to its people.

“It is for this reason that we have adopted our policy document christened ‘Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS)’ as a driving force towards the initiation and implementation of various programmes and policies which we have achieved so far.

“Let me once again commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his sustained effort in driving the Nigeria economy to prosperity. I assure Mr. President of our unalloyed loyalty and continued support in order to take our country to greater heights,” Sule said.

He, therefore, called on the development partners to continue to invest in Nasarawa State with a view to opening the frontiers of economic prosperity for the benefit of all.