Business
RSG Recommits To Diversification Of Economy

The Rivers State Government says it is determined to execute its plan to move away from oil and gas and focus on solid minerals sector of the economy.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Peter Nedo, gave this hint shortly after a meeting with executives of Miners Association of Nigeria in his office.
Nedo said his ministry was working on plans to diversify into the solid mineral sector away from oil and gas, so as to attract investors into the state.
According to him, “this state wants to diversify away from oil and gas and this visit today has given us a greater opportunity to say that if we look beyond oil and gas in Rivers State, we also have a lot of other mineral resources that can be mined”.
The commissioner noted that the initiative, which would start with a survey, would also serve as an avenue for job creation in Rivers state
He said, “a lot of income can be internally generated for the state, we can also look beyond the income, it can also create a lot of jobs, it can also boost the GDP of the state. This calls for a greater need for diversification. So we are very very happy with this synergy today.
“We have seen that there is opportunity that other mineral resources like silica, sharp sand, marble, coal and clay. They all abound in Rivers State so we are expecting that this geological survey would be able to expose and bring them to limelight, where these minerals are deposited. This survey will enable us identify them, the location and their respective quantity and once this is done we can now begin to open our hands to investors both internationally and nationally.”
On his part, the second Vice President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Kenneth Enebeli revealed that there were lots of untapped mineral resources in the state and called for collaboration between the association and the Rivers State Government in exploratory activities.
Enebeli said, “we are into exploration and exploitation of natural resources in the state here. The glass sand, popularly known as sharp sand is what is being mined and why we seek this synergy. From our research, we know there are other mineral resources in the state, clay, Lignite, marble, I know the popular one is oil and gas, but aside this we are looking for an opportunity and that is why we seek these agencies that are saddled with the activities we do”.
By: Tonye Nria-Dappa