Editorial Feature

Solid Minerals Development: Minister Unveils Compendium Of First-Year Achievements

A compendium highlighting the achievements of Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, during his first year in office, has been unveiled.

The publication, titled “Alake On Rescue Mission,” showcases the minister’s efforts and reforms aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

During the launch event held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Tunde Rahman, emphasised the significance of the compendium, describing it as a serious piece of work detailing the minister’s accomplishments rather than just a photo album.

“If you see it as the official book of the minister’s achievements in one year, you will hit the nail on the head,” Mr. Rahman noted.

The event also featured praise from Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu. He commended Dr. Alake for driving reforms in the solid minerals sector, which aligns with the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic diversification.

Senator Bagudu called for patience from Nigerians regarding the government’s current economic reforms, emphasising their long-term benefits and applauding Dr. Alake’s role in effectively communicating these initiatives.

“Nigeria is a great country, and by God’s grace, it will take its place of pride in the comity of nations, especially when the chips are down in terms of economic challenges in our country and the world,” Bagudu stated.

He highlighted Dr. Alake’s dedication to articulating and communicating the government’s policies, which he said is vital to gaining public support for the administration’s bold economic measures.

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, pledged continued support in publicising the ministry’s objectives.

He expressed his commitment to positively shaping Nigeria’s image and promoting the achievements of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

“I want to assure you we will not disappoint the public, we will change the narratives of Voice of Nigeria, make it proud and take it back to its core mandate of shaping positive narratives of all Nigerians, and Africans.

“We will do all within our power to continue to write your legacy in the Ministry of Solid Minerals with hard work, but above all, with the commitment of reality, we remain committed and dedicated to your new agenda, we will be very loud telling positive narratives about Nigerians and Africans,” Ndace assured.

The Director General of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, Mr. Obadiah Nkom, praised Dr. Alake’s strategic intelligence and effective policies. He highlighted the impact of the minister’s reforms, noting that revenue from the mining sector has significantly increased in recent months.

“He has brought in some policies and some certain things that at the end of the day are yielding dividends.

“I can tell you that for the past two months, the monthly revenue we have gotten is not comparable to even an annual revenue over the years,” Nkom said.

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also spoke on the compendium, describing it as a detailed account of the minister’s transformative efforts in the solid minerals sector.

He noted that the book explores Dr. Alake’s achievements, including foreign investment reports and the minister’s positive engagement with the media to boost the mining industry.

Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Dele Alake emphasised that the compendium aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of a just and equitable Nigeria.

Key achievements outlined in the document include the establishment of Mining Marshals to regulate illegal mining activities and the launch of the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support software, a digital platform designed to facilitate investment in the sector.

written by Zainab Said