Zamfara Possesses 60 Percent Nigeria's Solid Minerals Deposits - Shinkafi

Gusau, Jun 02, 2010 (Daily Independent/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Zamfara State Governor, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, has said that the state possesses 60 per cent of the untapped total solid minerals deposits the federation.

He explained that with discovery of large deposits of solid minerals comprising of gold, copper, iron ore, tantalite, manganese among others all untapped in the state, the nation can be fed adequately with available resources for several years when processed.

The governor made the disclosure in Gusau at a dinner party organised by Annur Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to mark his three years in office as governor of the state and the Democracy Day.

He said the solid minerals deposits when utilised could benefit not only Zamfara but Nigeria.

"Zamfara State has been blessed with solid minerals deposits whereby analysis has shown that the state possessed 60 out of the total country's solid minerals deposits; so that when tapped and processed it can add more to the nation's economy and eventually reduce the total dependence on oil," he said.

He pointed out that with current discovery of the abundant solid minerals deposits in the state, Zamfara would also be among the four oil producing states that the country would be proud of.

"In fact, we are very happy that the establishment of the Integrated Solid Minerals Processing Factory commissioned by Mr. President few days ago, the state would provide another platform to boost the nation's economy and bring rapid development in all sectors," he said.

Shinkafi explained further that the establishment of the new factory coupled with new foreign investors that would be in the state to establish their companies for the solid minerals processing, rural to urban or the inter states migration of the teaming populace in the state in search of money in business would reduce.

"In fact, we are aware of our teaming youths, who go out of Zamfara to other parts of the country for business, but with recent discovery of solid minerals deposit and the establishment of processing factory, no Zamfara youth would go out of the state to look for money again", he said.

The governor therefore called on people in the state to give out their contributions by cooperating with state's government policies and programmes to move the state forward and he also called on them to be low abiding citizens so as to move the democracy forward.