Miners drum support for Bwari as substantive minister

Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) have urged President MUhammadu Buhari to make Abubakar Bawa Bwari as substantive Minister of Mines and Steel Development ministry.
MAN after considering and evaluating various factors relevant to the development of the country’s mining sector, threw its weight behind the call for the elevation of the Acting Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari who succeeded his predecessor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National President of MAN, Alhaji Sani Shehu in Abuja.
According to Alhaji Shehu “The Miners Association of Nigeria has been critical to the growth and development of the mining sector. As the umbrella association of licensed miners in Nigeria, MAN has watched the progress scored by the Fayemi team since the team came into office in 2015, and we are inspired by the achievements scored for the sector under his watch.
“As a result, we hereby call on His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to honour the outgoing Minister’s call for the elevation of Abubakar Bawa Bwari to the position of Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel.
“While we state categorically that government needs to do so much more to realize the full potential of the mining sector in order to attain economic diversification via development of the sector, we also commend the former minister – Dr. John Kayode Fayemi for the remarkable achievements scored under his watch.
“We also commend the unity of the team in pursuit of an agenda that is being responsibly pursued even as they are achieving some mandates of the ministry.
“Together, Fayemi and Bwari have worked together to significantly increase the revenue generated from the sector and its contribution to national GDP, a feat that shows that the country’s revenue base is being diversified from dependence on crude oil”
“The team was also able to develop the sector and improve its capacity to create jobs and broaden the range of economic opportunities available to Nigerians while promoting and ensuring environmental justice and sustainability in mining operations.
“Together with Bawa Bwari, the administration developed the initiative to work with security institutions for the safety and security in the country, by the strict monitoring of the movement and usage of explosives. We are sure that Bawa Bwari will be able to continue the progressive pursuit of the administration’s set goals for the sector,” the statement also pointed out.