Mineral resources: Bedrocks of economic development – ODHA
By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
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Ondo State House of Assembly has described Mineral resources as one of the bedrocks of economic development in the State and Nigeria.
The House Committee on Mineral Resources gave the description during a visit to the State Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral resources in Akure.
The Committee led by its Chairman, Edamisan Ademola commended the efforts of the Ministry at injecting new ideas and innovation into the system and the progress made so far.
The Committee who promised to give legislative backings to the new Ministry in order to achieve the set goals, enjoined the Commissioner to use his good office to further lighten up the communities through the distribution of transformers.
Earlier, while giving an overview of the Ministry , the Commissioner, Rasaq Obe affirmed that the two major sub- stations projects and the first to leverage on the franchise of Discos which has reached an advanced stage will go a long way to boost the energy sector in the State.
According to him, the Ministry is committed to a sustainable and enduring legacy as it is putting many things in place and filling the void of many years.
He said that the Ministry is strategically working on harnessing mineral resources, including bitumen noting that in another one year of its creation, there will be great results.
He affirmed that the State is richly endowed with abundant mineral resources that have diverse industrial applications, and if judiciously managed, have the potential to serve as a major foreign exchange earner with considerable multiplier effect as well as input for local industries.
The Commissioner stressed the need to regulate and actualize the exploration, exploitation and development of these potentially rich mineral resources by the State government without contravening existing regulations for the overall benefits of the State.