Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals has given assurances that the Ministry is capable of growing the nation’s economy.
Mr Kayode Fayemi on Friday, addressed officials at the National Defense College in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“The Nigerian security landscape, whether we like it or not, is ravaged partly by poverty which brought about insecurity.
“If you grow a sector that has the capacity to also produce jobs in abundance to the populace, clearly, they will feel safe and secure; the sense of self worth is enhanced, the sense of dignity is improved and they begin to contribute as active citizens through the security landscape of the nation.
“Contributing through the security landscape of the nation is really why we must grow this sector and not continue to depend on oil and gas which has contributed its own to our economy and will continue to do so.
“But I think it’s about time that we got on to diversifying our revenue base and mining is one of those options just as agriculture, information technology and the services sector. That’s the security connection between peace and development,” Fayemi said.
