Gov.Buni Declares Open One Day Solid Minerals stakeholders Meeting
By:Abdullahi Adamu Jajere
The Governor of Yobe State, Hon. (Dr.) Mai Mala Buni, CON, COMN (Chiroman Gujba), on Wednesday declared open a two-day stakeholders’ engagement on the 2024 Solid Minerals Industry Audit Tripartite Reconciliation Meeting.
The event which took place at the WAWA Hall, Government House, Damaturu, was organized by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) with the theme: “Unlocking Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Potential for Economic Diversification.”
Governor Buni, who was represented by his Deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana (Wazirin Fune), stated that the theme of the engagement speaks directly to a strategic reality.
At a time when the nation is intensifying efforts to broaden the base of its economy, the solid minerals sector offers a credible pathway to industrial growth, employment generation, subnational revenue expansion, and sustainable prosperity.
The Governor informed the gathering that his administration remains committed to building a solid minerals sector that is orderly, transparent, investment-friendly, and environmentally responsible.
He emphasized the need to discourage informal and unsafe mining practices, promote value addition, and create a governance environment that inspires confidence among reputable local and international investors.
Buni urged all participating companies, ministries, departments, agencies, and other reporting entities to cooperate fully with the process and ensure that all submissions are accurate and complete.
Governor Buni expressed appreciation to the leadership of NEITI for choosing Yobe State to host this significant national exercise.
He further acknowledged the efforts of the Yobe State Mining Development Company Limited in making the event possible.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, stated that development is achieved when natural resources are governed with vision, discipline, transparency, and responsibility.
He added that it also depends on confidence in licensing, credibility in production records, clarity in revenue flows, accountability in public institutions, and fairness in the relationship among operators, host communities, and government, as well as equitable distribution across the country.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of Yobe State Mining Development Company Limited, Engr. Bamodu Yerima, said the meeting was organized to reconcile figures, strengthen institutions, and reinforce a culture of accountability in extractive resource management.
Engr. Yerima noted that Yobe State is richly endowed with abundant mineral resources across its senatorial districts.
He assured participants that the meeting would focus on practical solutions aimed at improving accurate tracking of solid minerals and addressing long-standing discrepancies in audit reporting.
In his lead paper presentation on “Minerals Endowment in the North East,” the Director of Policy Planning and Strategy Department, Dr. Dieter Bassi, made the call that
The state governments
in the region should consider establishing a regional Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to develop their resources through partnerships with investors using NLNG frameworks.
A community-based security network should be established to curb illegal mining activities across the region.
The North East Development Commission should provide training programmes for youths in stone polishing and other relevant skills needed to develop the industry.
State governments should implement policies that encourage partnerships between industry and academia, particularly state universities, to produce credible geoscientific data.
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