….we’ll position Nigeria to become global steel producing giant – Gupta
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, Tuesday, hailed the African Natural Resources Mines Limited plant, ANRML, over compliance to add value to its steel production operations.
Alake gave the commendation during a visit to ANRML at Gujeni, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, along with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite.
He expressed happiness that the company “has obeyed our admonition and in concrete terms” based on his directive last week as value addition to solid minerals mined in Nigeria to be a condition before mining license would be issued to any company to operate in the nation’s solid minerals sector henceforth.
He also said the company is now a living testimony and example of compliance with the directive which other operators in the sector and others that would come in should emulate.
He said: “Last week, I made the point that we will no longer licence any company that want to engage in our mining sector without any concrete plan for any local value addition.
“So today’s event is a milestone because here is a company that has obeyed our admonition and in concrete terms, shown the whole world what local value addition means.
“It is not just going to mine our iron ore and export it away but they are going to process and refine it here. So, I am happy that we have an example to show to the rest of the companies that are in Nigeria’s minerals sector.
“This is a company that is worthy of emulation and I commend the GMD for this remarkable achievement.”
Earlier, the Group Managing Director, GMD, African Industries Group, Alok Gupta, assured that with the company’s operations Nigeria will be positioned as a global steel producing giant based on the wealth the country has in natural resources.
Gupta also described Nigeria as a nation of strength, resilience and limitless potential, and disclosed that ANRML has a mining capacity of over 5 million tonnes
per annum, therefore, the Direct Reduced Iron DRI, produced will be a direct substitute for ferrous scrap.
“Nigeria, a nation of strength, resilience and limitless potential is blessed with abundant natural resources. Our Iron ore mining and processing plant is Nigeria’s largest non-oil Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, and marks a significant stride in the direction of utilizing this wealth to make real wealth for Nigeria.
“We have a mining capacity of over 5 million tonnes per annum. The Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) produced here will be a direct substitute for ferrous scrap currently used as raw material for producing steel in Nigeria.
“It will also gradually position Nigeria as a prominent Crude Steel producer globally”, he added.
Meanwhile, the ANRML boss disclosed that the company has created 4,000 direct and indirect employment for Nigerians since it was established.
He further stated and affirmed the Federal Government’s efforts and commitment to drastically reduce the huge importation of steel products into the country annually, and bent on promoting and boosting local production of steel in order to conserve foreign exchange and ensure the steel sector contributes significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Also, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, commended said the company for making effort to galvanize the nation’s steel sector, and said her Ministry’s industrial revitalisation plan has positioned the steel sector as a paramount sector that would receive attention being the catalyst of industrialization and national development.