Abuja – Mr Musa Sada, the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, on Monday urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to metallurgical sector to boost the economy.
Sada told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that adequate attention to the sector would help the government to diversify the economy.
He also advised the incoming minister for the sector to push for government attention to move the sector forward.
He added that “the incoming minister needs to keep pushing for the attention we did not get during our time; though, it is a policy issue and government must make the policy to achieve success.
“For the economy to be diversified, government must spend money and pay more attention to mines and steel development.’’
The former minister said the potential of the sector would not be realised until a clear cut operational framework was institutionalised and strengthened.
He, however, added that the Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill should be conceptualised to trigger the much-needed industrial revolution which would cut across virtually every sector of the economy.
“The sector has the potential to diversify the Nigerian economy, leveraging on the West African Integrated Market to reposition Nigeria as a regional economic giant that will lead African nations back to reckoning.
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“Even in the midst of the present global economic recession, it has the potential for foreign exchange earnings through the export of finished and semi-finished products.’’
He said the sector could also create direct jobs for about 1.5 million people and more than three million indirect jobs, as envisaged. (NAN)
