The Federal Government says it will support mining companies that prioritise local content in their operations.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, made this known in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, in Abuja on Friday.
Alake said that the support was aimed at promoting local content, which had multiplier effects on developing the economy and benefiting host communities.
He urged mining companies to engage Nigerians in their operations and, in particular to emulate the international best practices of the Segilola gold project located in Ilesha, Ogun state in order to develop the sector.
He commended the company for applying local content in its procurement and employment policies, noting that more than 95 per cent of their staff was Nigerians.
“It gladdens my heart that this is a wholly Nigerian project, and that is very commendable.
“You have contractors, experts, and technical professionals, which are expected in any project of this magnitude, but it is essentially a Nigerian project.
“That for me is very remarkable and worthy of emulation by other potential investors, local or foreign alike, “he said.
Alake commended the company for complying with its community development targets and urged other companies to do likewise.
He said that the move would ensure safer, unfettered operating environment, which would culminate in maximum beneficiation for both operators, the host communities and government.
He lauded them for deploying efficient methods in line with its vision, in spite of the daunting challenges it confronted at inception.
Alake emphasised that his focus had been to redirect local and international attention to the mining sector in order to reposition it.
“I have made sanitising the security of mining environment one of the critical points of my seven-point agenda.
“Recently, as part of the process of actualising that policy, I had to unveil the creation of a mines marshal,” he said.
He said that the marshals have a base in all the states of the country, with the command structure located in his office.
He added that the development was bringing sanity into the operating environment of the mining sector.
According to him, reports indicate that illegal miners are already fleeing their sites.