The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has vowed to prioritise the resuscitation of the nation’s economy through the development of the solid mineral sector, stating that the nation is richly blessed and can cater for itself.

Tinubu equally said his campaign for the country’s number one seat will only be issue-based, centred on bringing prosperity to the nation.

The two-term former governor of Lagos State stated this during a meeting with mining and agro-processing stakeholders in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital on Thursday.

“We shall allow the desperate, devoid-of-substance campaigns of others engage in divisive identity politics and the promotion of untruths and ugly rumours.

“We, the APC, shall continue to stand before the Nigerian people to discuss the real issues of the day and offer insight into the policy solutions we intend to deploy to solve them. In this, we remain the best and only hope for progressive good governance in Nigeria.

“Few nations are as well-endowed as Nigeria, given our industrious, energetic population and our vast inventory of land, water, and natural resources. Our beloved nation has abundant, commercially viable solid mineral deposits such as coal, limestone, iron ore, bitumen, lead, zinc, gold, and a variety of gemstones.

“It is the obligation of government to use these gifts wisely to benefit the nation and improve the living standards of the average Nigerian,” the APC presidential candidate said.

On his plans for the sector, Tinubu promised to make the Ajaokuta Steel Company fully operational if elected in the 2023 presidential election.

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He added that the sector would contribute more to the nation’s economy by building the GDP, saying: “We seek to turn this economy into a more active engine of growth, productivity, jobs, and income. We seek to establish a broad-based economy that ensures broadly-shared prosperity for all.

“Solid minerals and mining will play key roles in our campaign toward prosperity and our economic offensive against poverty and underdevelopment.

“The solid minerals sector contributed less than 1% to our GDP in 2020. We need to increase this amount every year. My administration will develop the solid minerals sector, establishing policies that will encourage investment for growth in that sector.

“My administration will ensure the full completion and operation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company under a viable Public-Private Partnership structure,” Tinubu said.

He stated that his administration would enact legislative reforms and forge strategic partnerships with private sector investors with requisite skills and proven capacity to support investment in the mining sector.

On agro-processing, the APC presidential flag-bearer said: “My government will continue the progress and, in particular, shall focus on expanding the development of agro-industry to boost domestic food production and enable our farmers and industrialists to add value to their products.

“My agricultural policy encompasses the creation of storage facilities, affordable farm loans and mortgages, creation of modern agricultural hubs in each geopolitical zone amid other measures.”

Also speaking at the event, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, said Tinubu’s engagement with the mining community would also afford the opportunity to know the economic potentials of the state in mining and agriculture.

Sule listed 20 solid minerals in commercial quantity in the state which include lead, gold, Barite, marble, and zinc, among others.

On his part, the Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, described the event as another worthy engagement between Tinubu and critical stakeholders in Nasarawa State after similar events in Kano, Lagos, and Niger States.

Lalon further stated that Nasarawa is the home of huge solid mineral deposits that have remained untapped with attendant insecurity caused by illegal miners promising that Tinubu, if elected, would squarely address this during his tenure

“Tinubu is a man with untainted records of solving challenges. We are lucky he is ready to serve our country at this time,” the governor said.

The town hall meeting had in attendance the APC National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu; Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governors Aminu Masari (Katsina), Babagana Zulum (Borno); former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; and former governor of Nasarawa State and Chairman, Senate Committee on Mines and Solid Minerals, Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; amongst others.

The Star