By Rotimi Ojomoyela
‎Ado-Ekiti- The Conference of Nigeria’s Political Parties (CNPP) in Ekiti State has lauded the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for his performance in effecting a turn around in the Solid Minerals sector, as attested to by President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2018 budget speech.

The group said the attestation to Fayemi’s performance in the Mines and Steel Ministry and to the growth of the Nigerian economy is both historic and historical.

It said Fayemi’s hard work and vision derived from the collective vision of President Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC)
propelled the minister to deploy his energies and staff towards the feats achieved to revamp the economy for the welfare of Nigerians.

In a statement at the end of its emergency meeting in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, state CNPP Chairman, Prince Tunji Ogunlola, said the President’s observation of turnaround in the mining sector under Fayemi’s watch was a testimony to his passion to achieve his missions.

Buhari had at his 2018 budget presentation on Tuesday at a joint sitting of the National Assembly, lauded Fayemi’s successful take-off
of economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government through the mining sector, citing the increase in solid minerals earnings to the national economy, among others.

The President said: “Significant progress has also been made in the Solid Minerals development sector. In Ondo State, for instance, work is on going to fully exploit the bitumen resources to meet the 600,000
MTs of asphalt imported per annum for roads and other construction projects.

“To consolidate on these efforts, we have also established a 30 billion Naira Solid Minerals Development Fund to support other minerals exploration activities across the country.”

Ogunlola, said the President’s observation of the significant boost in the performance of the mining sector further confirmed an earlier
commendation by the Senate Committee of Solid Minerals that applauded Fayemi’s hard work and transparency in the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government. .

“The mining and steel sector, which is a viable alternative to oil, has remained untapped over the years until Dr. Fayemi took charge of
the sector and turned it around, thereby making the dream of making the sector a tool for wealth and job creation a reality.

“From a paltry contribution of N700 million to the national purse before he took charge, Fayemi worked hard day and night with his men to contribute N2billion within one year, making it one of the highest sectoral contributors to the economy, apart from oil. This figure has also been surpassed by the first half of this year.

“No wonder that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator James Manager (Delta PDP), described Dr. Fayemi as a man of vision who despite the challenges in the sector had taken the sector to higher level.”

Ogunlola also appealed to Governor Ayo Fayose to put politics aside and soften his hard stance against all Federal Government’s programmes by emulating other governors who had cooperated with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to develop the mining sector in their states.