By Martha Agas
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed claims by the
Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the Federal Government sited a gold refinery in
Lagos in violation of the federal character principle.
It said the allegations contained in a statement signed by the Northern Elders
Forum (NEF) spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, were not true and misleading.
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Segun Tomori, Special Assistant to the
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said the minister had not
made any such announcement.
“There was nowhere in the Minister of Solid Minerals announcement that the
Federal Government owned or established a gold refinery in Lagos or anywhere
for that matter.
“Dr Dele Alake was very clear, concise and emphatic in the announcement of the
proposed inauguration of the refinery, that other gold refineries are in the works
across the country and all privately-owned by different companies,” he said.
Tomori said the newly established gold refinery was an initiative of Kian Smith, a
fully privately-owned mining company, aimed at developing the local gold
industry through innovative practices, adding that the Federal Government does
not compel private companies to locate their operations in any particular part of the
federation, as each firm has its own operational and marketing strategy to ensure
profitability.
He said the Federal Government acknowledged the doggedness of the company’s
founder and Managing Director, Ms Nere Emiko, for delivering a flagship project
after years of perseverance, enterprise and leadership.
According to him, the refinery reflects the solid minerals sector’s response to the
value-addition policy introduced to discourage the export of raw minerals and to
promote local processing and manufacturing.
Tomori said the policy had stimulated the conversion of raw mineral exports into
processing factories across the country, generating massive inflows of foreign
capital and providing thousands of jobs for Nigerians.
