Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani has said his government is taking the necessary steps to diversify the state’s economy, especially by developing the solid minerals sector.
The governor stated this today through his deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe when she received the executive members of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers on a courtesy visit at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
Dr Balarabe who noted that Kaduna state is endowed with several mineral resources across the 23 LGAs said, the administration “has taken very important and significant steps to diversify the state’s economy because what we need is a kind of sustainability and stability of the state.
“There is a lot that needs to be done in Kaduna and relying on only one source of revenue will not augur well for the state. So we are looking at other sectors to see how we can get in as much as we can because we have to live by our name as the capital of northern Nigeria.
She further said the state government is sustaining the investment drive started by the previous administration to woo more investements, especially in the mining sector, adding that professional bodies like the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers have a role to play in supporting the state government’s effort.
“ We have held seven Kaduna Investment Summits, Kadinvest and we will soon host Kadinvest 8.0. So we have been open for business and we have expanded our frontiers. So there are so many things we can do together with professionals like you to expand our frontiers into other sectors like the mining.
”I want to use this opportunity to extend our appreciation for all that you have been doing here in Kaduna and so much more that you will continue to do for us.
“We are not yet where we want to be, there is still a lot of work to be done. I think you’re being here and what you are going to discuss at your Annual General Meeting and International Vonferwnce will help not only Kaduna but other northern states to be able to make an inroads in the mining sector.
The Deputy Governor appealed for the support of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers in addressing illegal mining which she said is a big challenge in the sector. She said “this is where we must all put our hands on deck so that the government and the organized private sector can make good of what is available for the benefit of the state”.
The Immediate past president of the society, Dr Ebenezer Damisa, who represented the President, Professor Benson Jatau, congratulated Governor Uba Sani on his election as Governor of Kaduna state and prayed for God’s guidance for him to consolidate the good governance of the state and to uplift the state to greater heights.
Damisa, who noted with gratitude the appointment of their member, Dr Muhammad Nura Usaini as the Managing Director of Kaduna Mining Development Company, further said the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers is available and ready to partner with Kaduna State for the development of the minerals in the state.
He added that their visit to Government House is to invite the Governor to the Annual General Meeting and International Conference of the society to be hosted in Kaduna from the 10th to 13th of October with the theme “Public Private Partnership: A Tool for Sustainable Development of Nigeria’s Mining industry.