The Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dele Alake, has emerged as the chairman of a mining pressure group, the Africa Minerals Strategy Group.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The event which was held on the sidelines of the 30th edition of Investing in Africa Indaba, Cape Town, South Africa, was attended by ministers of minerals development of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia with more than 15 countries pledging support.
Speaking at the signing of the resolution, Alake charged African leaders to forge a common front to get maximum benefits from the mineral resources on the continent.
Alake, who emerged as the pioneer chair of the group, stressed that the era of carting away solid minerals is over, charging countries on the continent to speak with one voice on value addition as a prerequisite for investment in the mining sector.
He said, “Today, there is an economic scramble for Africa. The critical metals needed for the energy transition are in Africa.
“Therefore, if we do not come together this time around and take our destinies in our hands, we will go through the same harrowing experiences of the past. That is why we formed this body.
Nigeria and Uganda in January rallied African ministers of solid minerals/ mineral resources on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, on the need to unite and champion value addition in the mining sector to boost the economy of African countries.
“Let those who want our minerals know that if you go to country A, you have the same regulations and laws guiding the sector. You go to country B, you find the same. So, there is no divide and rule anymore. That is when we can show sincerity of purpose, and the world will begin to take Africa seriously. On behalf of our president, I pledge our full support to achieve our objectives,” the minister asserted.
