By Michael Agbaji
Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund, Fatima Shinkafi, says the major focus of her organization SMDF is to grow fund to attracts the foreign investors, increasing export proceeds and create jobs for Nigerians.
Hajiya Shinkafi stated this while addressing journalists during the strategic meeting with the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South).
According to her, Solid minerals Development Fund will partnership with African Finance Corporation (AFC) to deploy more resources for generation of more geo scientific-data that will assist investors in making informed decisions on critical minerals
Our focus is to grow fund to impact and create jobs to mitigate against the current economic situation, to increase forex earnings from exports she said”.
According to her “last year, we signed a key partnership agreement with the African Finance Corporation to fund Greenfield exploration, which is a data driven project that will attract investment into the sector”, adding “we have several artisanal projects as well; 80% of the sector is currently artisanal”
She further said if Nigeria can increase the critical mass of investment on export proceeds, we can increase our Forex and strengthen the naira”.
Also speaking the Chairman Senate Committee on Solid minerals Senator Sampson Ekong says will afford to failed in solid mineral Development because of its advantage in Job creation.
He highlighted the areas in which the Committee on solid minerals will legislate, and collaborate with SMDF to strengthen the current policy that will guiding Solid Mineral Development Fund and as well perform its oversight function.
Sen.Ekong said they are committed to working closely with key players so that they can drive the sector forward. “I have been very clear that God in his benevolence has been very merciful to Nigeria”, adding “we are so richly endowed for our people and for Africa.
He also promise that the committee on solid minerals will soon bring the legislative framework that will stop illegal mining in the country.
