President Goodluck Jonathan has charged key players in the solid mineral sector to identify factors responsible for the slow growth and development of the sector.

Wondering why a nation with over 44 varieties of minerals in more than 500 locations should not tap the full benefits of its blessings,President Jonathan further promised to address the factors once and for all.

The president made this known during a brainstorming session at a one-day workshop of solid mineral sector in the Presidential Villa.

He said the solid minerals sector must be made to create wealth for the nation promising that about 30 percent of power generation can come from coal alone. He also decried the orderliness in the sector.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her solid mineral and steel development counterpart, Mr. Musa Sada noted that the sector used to be a money spinner in the country before that advent of oil,he however wondered where the country got it wrong and called for a rethink.

The participants were asked to dwell less on issues and challenges, but to come up with concrete and practical solutions that government will begin to implement, at the end of the workshop.

The presidency charged the participants on the need to use the solid mineral sector in Nigeria to generate jobs, industrialisation and wealth creation.

The session, which was organized by the Ministry of Solid Mineral and Steel Development alongside the Ministry of Finance, was attended by key players in the sector.