As part of its roadmap of the support, growth and development of the Nigeria’s Mining Industry, De Mbarukas Limited, an indigenous environmental consultancy firm, has partnered the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to deepen sustainable development opportunities within the country’s sea-shorelines.
Speaking during a visit to the Minister, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, the Managing Director of De Mbarukas Limited, Mr. Joseph Akpan, said the firm is poised to bringing its over 20 years of experience to bear in the mining industry with the objective of ensuring that Nigeria harness the opportunities that mineral resources offer in sustainable and environmentally friendly ways.
He expressed regret that “in recent times, the domestic Mining Industry is considered to be underdeveloped leading to Nigeria having to import minerals that she can produce locally like Salt and Iron Ore’’.
Mr. Akpan said that since mining activities affects the environment, the soil friendly structure and the general makeup of the ecological system, the environmentally friendly technology and the utilization of flared gas and sunlight along the sea-shorelines of Nigeria would be economically sustainable.
The Managing Director also urged the Ministry to completely take advantage of the over 30km stretch sea-shoreline of the South-South, particularly Akwa Ibom State, to aid the production of common salt and other mineral resources, saying “Apart from the Sodium Chloride, which is the table salt, there are other dissolved chemicals in the ocean water that could also be harvested in commercial quantity.”
He explained that the cost of salt production could be cheaper as long the Ministry would be ready and willing to put necessary infrastructure in place to enable local miners thrive in regions where energy through gas flaring is abundant alongside the natural sunlight.
Mr. Akpan also called on the Ministry to “grant permits to investors for the harvesting of solid minerals to the economic advantage of Nigeria.
In his remark, the Minister, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, thanked De Mbarukas “for proposing the good business idea of mining salt locally to boost the economy.”
Arc. Adegbite also assured De Mbarukas that the Ministry will do its best to ensure the idea is developed into a bankable business model that will yield sustainable results.
Also speaking, the Minister for State, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, expressed the Ministry’s delight that an indigenous firm has deemed it fit to venture into the sector with so much passion.
He maintained that the Ministry will partner with De Mbarukas Limited in all the proposed areas to attract investment and investors to the sector, stressing that it “will create employment and generate revenue for the entire nation.’’
Others in attendance were top officials of De-Mbarukas Limited and the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development including directors.
