The steel plant being built in Kagorko, Kaduna State by African Natural Resources and Mines Limited in collaboration with Stanbic IBTC and Standard Chartered Bank will produce 5.4 metric tons of steel daily, it was gathered on Thursday.
The plant which is being funded with a $600 million investment will generate 3,500 direct jobs.
Ex-Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bwari said the administration has been kind to the sector and that could proudly say that the administration is leaving it better then it found it.
Bwari spoke in Abuja at his hand over ceremony, adding that Zinc is currently being exported out of the country.
He added that the N15 billion National lntegrated Mining Exploration Project which was embarked upon has already discovered new findings.
“In less than four years, we have been able to record some major achievements, including plugging revenue leakages, increasing sector funding, producing more accurate geoscience data through world class exploration projects, improving job opportunities in the sector while developing the downstream sector.
“In addressing the lack of geological data, we were able to pay off and collect the results of the aeromagnetic survey of the country done ten years earlier but not released due to nonpayment.
“We also initiated a N15 billion National lntegrated Mining Exploration Project which has already discovered new findings. After the conclusion of the project, the areas of new anomalies will be sold to investors who will bring in foreign direct investment to increase the revenue coming into the economy.
“In The last few years, we have succeeded in attracting junior mining companies into the sector and they are doing quite well in increasing the investment portfoIios of the country. Already, there are about fifty of these companies doing formal mining in various parts of the country.
“Some of these include the Australian company Symbol Mining which is currently exporting zinc from its open pit mine in Bauchi where the ore is confirmed to be 22 per cent as compared to the global average of six per cent.
“Similarly, Kogi Iron has discovered ways to make high grade steel from their iron ore site in Kogi State, thus proving that apart from Itakpe, there are other sites to mine primary iron ore.
“Two weeks ago, Stanbic IBTC and Standard Chartered Bank agreed to provide $600 million as funding for an integrated iron and steel plant being built in Kagorko, Kaduna State by African Natural Resources and Mines Limited. The project will have a capacity of 5.4 metric tonnes per day and generate 3,500 direct jobs.
“In all humility, this administration has been kind to this sector and I can proudly say we are leaving it better then we found it. We are leaving it with better funding mechanism, including a 5 billion naira loan scheme for artisanal and small scale miners at very cheap rates.
We are leaving it with more accurate data on both the quantity and quality of our mineral resources. We are leaving it with high class drilling rigs and seismic stations for earthquake detection.
“We have laid a solid foundation for the sector and it is now left for you to build on our successes. I want to urge you, as management and staff of this ministry, to keep the momentum going.”
