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By Akanji Olowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed on Tuesday inaugurated the newly established Kaolin Ore Processing Plant in Gwaram community of Alkaleri local government area of the state.
The Governor gave an assurance to work with the federal government in order to advance the operational effectiveness of the project.
While speaking at the occasion, the Governor said that the state government is determined and ready to continue to work with Miners Association of Nigeria, Kaolin Millers Association, Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMC) and all other stakeholders on how to improve the value chain of the raw material.
Bala Mohammed who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim, said that his administration had established the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2020 with the aimed of complimenting Federal Government’s effort in streamlining the activities of solid mineral resources in addition to repositioned the Bauchi Mining and Exploration Limited (BAMSEL).
According to him, so far, the Bauchi Mining and Exploration Limited has acquired 17 Licenses comprising 9 Exploration Licenses, 7 Small Scale Mining Leases and 1 Reconnaissance Survey Permit which makes it rank top in the North-East sub region.
According to him, “I am delighted to be part of this important and most auspicious occasion which is essentially a journey of promises and fulfilments. What we are witnessing today started with the recommendations by the Economic Sustainability Plan Committee of the Federal Government in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 Pandemic.”
He also said that, “The Federal Government had accordingly request the Bauchi State Government for a piece of land for the setting up of the Artisanal and Small- scale Mining (ASM) Cluster and the Need Assessment for the North-East Geopolitical Zone. This noble objective has been achieved as we gather here today to commission the Kaolin Ore Processing Plant.”
Bala Mohammed added that, “Kaolin being important raw material with a wider spectrum of industrial applications is abundant in more than 5 Local Government Areas in Bauchi State and indeed the North-East Geopolitical Zone. It is estimated that annual national demand of Kaolin stands at 350,000 Metric Tons while local production is only 25,000, Metric Tons leaving a huge deficit annually.”
“This deficit will definitely create a humungous capital flight due to importation. This Cluster is a special type being earmarked for an index Pharmaceutical Ingredient (IPL). There is no doubt, that the ASM Cluster will help North-East and Nigeria at large to achieve the long desired national policy on local content, substitution and deletion of mineral resources,” he said.
The Governor then gave assurance that Bauchi state will collaborate with the other 5 States in the Northeast Sub-region on the cluster through the Artisanal and Small- scale Mining (ASM) Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development with creating an enabling environment by providing security, infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water supply for the optimum operations of the cluster.
He stressed that, “Let me inform the Hon. Minister of Mines and Steel Development that we will continue to look for the assistance of his Ministry in the areas of synergy, transparency. accountability and revenue generation from Solid Minerals. In Bauchi State, there is a total of 341 licenses acquired by operators and/or speculators. These comprise of 152 Exploration Licenses, 17 Mining Leases, 55 Quarry Leases, and 117 Small Scale Mining Leases.”
According to him, “The activities from exploration to marketing of these negligible resources is by far very considering the number of titles acquired in the State. I would therefore like to call on the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to strictly enforce the policy on “Use it or Lose it on dormant and speculated licenses.”
He stressed that, “On the other hand, considering the quantum of mining and mineral activities in Bauchi State, we want to see the enhancement of a royalty that truly reflects these activities.”
He added that, “The Hon. Minister may wish to be reminded that the State has been working round the clock in developing the first mining policy in the North-East Geopolitical zone, a development that has been acknowledged and blessed by your Ministry. To our greatest dismay, however, this effort is being sabotaged by the Federal Mines Officer in the State due to his non-cooperation.”
On his part, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Olamilekan Adegbite explained that the Bauchi Kaolin Ore Processing plant is to process Kaolin needed for the use of the pharmaceutical industry in the country stressing that efforts should be made to embark on dry processing for the paint and other industries.
Olamilekan Adegbite said that the idea of the plant in the 6 geopolitical zones of the country was necessiated by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He explained that his Ministry presented to the FEC and was approved in 2021 but commenced the implementation of the project in 2022 expressing happiness that so far, 5 of the plants have been commissioned by the Ministry.
The Minister also said that the Bauchi plant is to process wet Kaolin needed for the use of the pharmaceutical industry in the country stressing that efforts should be made to embark on dry processing for the paint and other industries.
