CEGDEC urge women, youth on mining to boost economy
The Executive Director of Environmental Growth and Development Centre (CEGDEC), Mrs. Maryam Olayeni, has admonished women and youth to seize the opportunity of the economic down turn to invest and transform the mining industry in Nigeria.
She made the call during a one day workshop the NGO held in collaboration with the Australian government at Olode Aquamarine community, Oloyole, Oyo state yesterday.
“A transformation in the mining industry worldwide is targeted at creating wealth. This has not been significantly recorded for a number of minerals in Nigeria,” she said.
However, Olayeni stressed that Nigeria, as a rich nation, has not fully invested positively in the mining industry as wealth creation for her economic development.
“Though the current national drive towards breaking the dependence on oil has now attracted development on solid mineral sector across the country.”
“Oyo state is rich in mineral resources ranging from the semi-precious metals, precious metals, base metals and gemstones has attracted many mining activities in the recent times.”
“Olode aquamarine gems field of Oluyole Local Government has particularly received massive participation of medium scale mining.
“Where the women and youths in this community have not fully benefitted as stakeholders, as there has not been significant social and economic development attributed to them from the aquamarine.”
Furthermore, speaking on the challenges on mining in Nigeria, Olayeni said that the people lack the skill and technology to process these mineral resources as well as having marketing challenges on how to sell its product and most times they do not get good value on their stones in the supply chain at the long run,” Mrs. Olayeni noted.
While disclosing that the worshop would empower the local women and youth who in turn would build others capacities.
Olayeni on her final note urged that the training would help build the people’s capacity through cooperative and engagement in meaningful businesses to grow the nation’s economy which would
provide economic and social benefits for Nigerians just as in the case of Australia.
