..as Engineer Sule performs groundbreaking for 250m UDS lithium processing factory
The Federal Government has henceforth banned the exportation of raw solid minerals by mining companies out of the country.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony a Chinese N250m USD Ganfeng Lithium Mining Company’s factory, in Endo Village, Udege Development Area, Nasarawa Local Government Area, on Thursday.
According to the Minister, the era of exporting raw solid minerals from Nigeria is over as the Federal Government would henceforth only give license to mining companies that would add local value addition to these resources.
He therefore called on all mining companies currently mining and exporting raw minerals to review their business strategy and follow this path of economic recovery before its too late.
“I want to emphasize the fact that the era of exporting raw solid minerals from Nigeria is over.
“Ladies and gentlemen, any company wishing to come and invest in the solid minerals sector in Nigeria henceforth must add local value. Without that, we shall no longer license any company, anybody, any institution, any corporate organization that doesn’t have local value addition as an integral factor of the execution of its project,” the Minister added.
While noting the significance of the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony for the factory, especially to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration, Mr. Alake commended the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, for giving the needed encouragement from inception leading to this particular event.
He also appealed to the traditional rulers and indigenes of Endo community to cooperate with the corporate citizen that have chosen to live with them as a business partner.
Speaking at the event, Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, appreciated President Bola Tinubu, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, as well as all the other agencies of the Federal Government that made ease of doing business in the country possible.
Engineer Sule equally thanked the Endo community and the entire people of Nasarawa State for opening their doors to welcome companies such as Gofyen Lithium Limited, adding that by their hospitality they have provided the opportunity for the state to receive such companies who are coming in to invest.
“Today, I am a happy man because I am satisfied and fulfilled. God has given me the opportunity to see the realization of my dream, so that instead of having illegal miners who are mining our products and taking them completely out of Nasarawa to somewhere else, we are now having a huge industry which is going to be processing 18, 000 tons of Lithium everyday,” he stated.
He appreciated the people of Endo community as well as the entire Nasarawa State community for opening their doors to welcome companies such as Ganfeng Lithium Mining Company and similar companies coming to invest not only in Nigeria but in Nasarawa State.
Engineer Sule appreciated the Federal Government for completing the Loko/Iweto bridge which has drastically cut down the travel time to Abuja. He however called on the Tinubu administration to undertake the construction of the Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto-Abaji road in order to open up more access to the FCT.
He thereafter tasked members of the Endo community on the need to embrace the new factory at their own as that is the only way they can ensure adequate security for the business to thrive.
In his address, President Gafend Lithium Industry Lithium, Mr. Pan Quan, said his firm is investing 250m USD to build the lithium processing factory in Endo with capacity to process 18,000 tonnes of lithium per day and with annual production capacity of 4.5m tonnes.
“The plant will provide directly 2500 jobs and indirectly more than 15000 jobs. After the completion of the factory, it would boost the market economy and impact skills to young people. The investment would attract more Chinese investors into the country and Nasarawa State in particular. Infrastructure will be improved. The community will be more energetic, and every community member will work with us to create a win-win situation,” Mr. Quan stated.
In a vote of thanks, the Emir of Nasarawa, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, appreciated the Governor as well as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, for the former’s vision, determination and doggedness and the latter’s acceptance to honour the invitation to grace the occasion.
The royal father said the event was only possible because Engineer Sule has provided the enabling environment for security to thrive.
While assuring the Ganfeng Lithium Mining Company of their support towards creating the necessary enabling environment for the business to thrive, the Emir however urged the company to be mindful of environmental impact assessment.
Also present at the event were the Permanent Secretary, Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development, DG Cadestral office, Commissioner, Nasarawa State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Yakubu Kwanta, Emir of Nasarawa, Ibrahim Usman Jibrin and Managing Director of Sinoma Nigeria, Mr. Qiao Qiufeng.
