Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, a Jos-based miner, on Friday said the mining industry alone could turn around the economy of Nigeria if the Federal Government would give it the desired attention.
Adamu, who is popularly Known as `Dan-China’, made the suggestion in Jos in an interview with newsmen.
“We are only killing ourselves by relying on oil; what a kilo of Tin gives in terms of Naira and Kobo is more than the cost of two barrel of oil in the international market.
“In fact if the government, in its diversification plans, turns its attention to the mining sector, what it can generate as revenue in a day, oil can not give that to them in 10 days, ’’ the miner said.
Dan-China advised that Iron ore alone was enough to turn around the economy of the country, regardless of other viable and costly minerals the nation possessed.
He cited countries like Indonesia and Sweden which mainly depended on Iron ore as the main stay of their economies.
Adamu, a on-time Bauchi State gubernatorial aspirant, called on the Federal Government to checkmate the activities of illegal miners and those who have no business delving into the venture.
“We have saboteurs in the mining sector, which calls for the government to do something about them to allow the sector to thrive well for the good of our economy, ’’ he said.
According to him, the Federal Government should formulate good policies and programmes that could stimulate and develop the mining sector.
He decried the absence of good Geo-Scientist in the country, who could help in developing and transforming the mining sector.
The miner decried a situation whereby foreigners bribed their ways into the country, only to milk the nation dry, especially at the mining sector.
He also called for synergy among practical miners in the country to help the government in developing the sector, to turn around the national economy in the heat of global recession. (NAN)