An open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, from the class of 2013 Mining Engineering graduates.
Dear Mr. President,
We are the graduate set of Mining Engineering 2012/2013
(graduated 2014 due to strike action) from The Federal University of
Technology, Akure. The only set of Bachelor of Engineering in Mining
Engineering produced in the country for the year with many counterparts
distributed across various Polytechnics in the country.
We write to you with a sense of patriotism and loyalty to our dear
country and with utmost respect for your leadership and administration.
We want to foremost commend you on your pursuit against corruption
which has withered our economy, and the implementation of the process of
Justice in the civil sector. We commend you on your fight against
terrorism that is ravaging the existence of the lives of our brothers
and sisters in the North-Eastern part of the country.
Some of us who served in this zone of Nigeria have seen the horrors
of terrorism and we will like to commend the Nigerian Armed Forces for
their sacrifice since the war began. We commend you on your executive
order in the clearing of Ogoni land. We also commend you on the foreign
policies in strengthening security and democracy across the war ravaged
countries in Africa and the stability your leadership is promoting
across divides of Africa.
Also, we congratulate the newly appointed and confirmed ministers of
the Nations with the hope to get the best for the Ministry of Mines and
Steel Development (MMSD), and finally pray for the fulfillment of the
plans of this present dispensation; with life longevity for his
Excellency.
We as concerned citizens are writing you because we want a leader
like you to hear our salient voices in our struggle towards promoting
the solid mineral industry. We and the industry have been neglected
without the hope of remembrance. We have been shown no recognition in
the labour market for far too long than our conscience can bear.
The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) was established in
1985 as a bold attempt by the Nigerian government to offshoot the rapid
beneficial development of the country’s Solid Mineral resources.
But the Ministry has had its share of appeasement of some political
actors without the moral and intellectual capabilities to handle the
sector which have inexplicably crippled a Ministry that has done well
for other nations of the world. Here is the list of Ministers of Mines
and Steel Development (MMSD) and their related academic achievement
since 2003.
- Magnus Odion Ugbesa (July 2003-June 2005) studied Political Science
at First Degree and International Relations at Masters and was a
lecturer before coming into Politics
- Obiageli Ezekwesili (July 2005-June 2006) had a Master’s degree in
International Law and Diplomacy and a Master of Public Administration
degree trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
- Leslye Obiorah (June 2006-May 2007) is a Professor of Law
- Sarafadeen Tunji Ishola (July 2007-Oct 2008) obtained a Diploma in
Marketing, was a lecturer at the Federal College of Education, Katsina
and later joined the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Abeokuta.
- Diezani Alison-Madueke (Dec 2008-March 2010) studied Architecture
- Arc Musa Mohammed Sada (April 2010-May 2015) also studied Architecture.
Mr. President, We believe this gives a little understanding where the neglect of the Ministry emanated from.
These people have not been able to drive a formidable force to battle
the Dutch Disease the Oil Boom of 1970 brought to our land; though we
would not play ignorant of the policies that have been made by them but
we care more about implementation than public information.
Sadly, the official website of the Ministry is not assessable to the
everyday internet users, which speak volume of the rot, decay and
neglect of the Ministry; in which the original website
www.mmsd.gov.ng does not seems to exist anymore. Mr. President, ‘information is key and knowledge is power’.
The first point of contact any investor has with a country is based
on whatsoever information the investors get to see on her website and
that triggers and influences the physical presence of the investors. We
believe no investor wants to come to a country with a dark view of
neither their resources nor an out-of-date/nonexistence website. We
desire a change and an upgrade in the Ministry of Mines and Steel
Development (MMSD) Sir.
Mr. President, We are addressing you as promising and courageous
citizens with the understanding of the greatness the Solid Mineral
sector can add to an emerging economy like Nigeria which presently
accounts for only 0.3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Comparing with fellow African economies, the Mining sector in South
Africa accounted for 8.3% of GDP directly and nominal mining GDP of
R279.7 billion was recorded in 2013, up from R270.2 billion in 2012. In
Ghana, Mining industry account for 5% of the GDP whence the industry was
expected to generate a revenue of US$35 billion in 2014.
Namibia Mining sector made a direct contribution of 13% to GDP in
2014 with a revenue of N$21.61 billion, a 3.25 percent increase from
2013. While in Canada, Approximately 380,000 people across Canada work
in the Mining and Mineral processing industries. Also, Mining
contributed $54 billion to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013
and the industry accounted for 19.6% of the value of Canadian goods
exports in 2013.
The only question we ask ourselves while in school was “What are
these Economies doing right that we cannot do better than them?” We have
the Manpower and the intellectual prowess but our (Mining Engineers)
neglect has made us a product of deviation into the Oil and Gas industry
or even Banking sector whilst a greater part of the economy goes to
shambles of oblivion.
Mr. President, it is imperative for the National Iron Ore Mining
Company (NIOMCO) to be operational again because since its inauguration
in 1983, the plant has been embroiled in managerial inaptitude and
controversy, ranging from allegations of obsolete machines and outdated
blast furnace model among others.
We understand as a matter of fact and urgency that you are trying as
much as possible to block leakages, cut down government expenses,
repatriate stolen funds and so on but these acts alone are not going to
be enough to sustain this great country’s economy if nothing is done
with the Solid Mineral Endowment of the Nation which is enough to hold
and stabilize our economy as a country without the incurable dependence
on oil.
Mr President, what if crude sells between $25 – $50 per barrel for the next 8 years, do we have a hope as a Nation?
Another important reason why the Steel Industry has to work in
Nigeria is the fact that we can actually produce military hardware,
Nigeria made automobiles, trains and even flying machines. All we need
to do is to invite manufacturing companies to come and invest in Nigeria
because we have all it requires; the raw materials, the Landmass and
the Manpower.
The Steel industry if fully established will invariably generate
nothing less than a million jobs for our teeming unemployed youths which
will reduce the poverty index of the Nation. The same industry will
generate power needed to carry out all the production processes as this
country has enough coal reserve to power the whole Nation for years.
The good news about these progress is that they are achievable within
a very short period (36 months), and the best way to go about it is to
seek partnership with any economic giant in this industry like South
Africa, Canada, Australia, among others which will boost our
international ties with these countries. Likewise, countries like Russia
and Germany in the manufacturing industry for giant productivity.
Mr. President, we also like to bring to your attention an area of
grave concern in the mining act; which is the restriction of state
governments from developing the solid mineral endowment in their
respective states due to the limitation of state authority provided by
the Exclusive Legislative list in the 1999 Constitution.
Item 39 in the Exclusive List includes ‘Mines and minerals, including
oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas’. A majority
of these states are so poor and can barely survive, existing as they do
on allocations from the Federal Government. Developing the Mining
industry would boost the economy of such states by increasing their
Internal Generated Revenue (IGR).
A constitutional amendment would be required to so permit greater
state government involvement but nonetheless it is worth considering. As
stated in your manifesto titled ‘Roadmap to a New Nigeria’; “I will
make sure people at a local level benefit from mining and mineral wealth
by vesting all mineral rights in land to state”. We believe your words
are your bound, as you are a man of integrity. Thereby, we hope to get
this promised fulfilled in earnest.
Just for the record Mr. President, we will like to notify you about a
fact as a reminder. Organized mining in Nigeria began as early as 1903
under the British colonial government. And by the 1940s, the country had
become a major producer of tin, columbite, and coal.
We as a Nation are blessed with over thirty two (32) discovered
profit making solid minerals-iron ore, coal, tourmaline, gold, kaolin,
limestone, dolomite, beryl, glass sand, bitumen, uranium, tin and its
associated minerals and recently gypsum-which are found in commercial
deposits across the country.
Coal, for instance is a major player in the world’s energy mix. It
makes up over 23% of the energy consumed in the world and it is used to
generate over 40% of the world’s electricity. 77% of South Africa’s
energy needs are provided by coal while our country is still
experiencing insufficient power supply despite the fact the country has
the best kind of coal.
Likewise, Bitumen is used for making asphalt concrete for road
surfaces and accounts for approximately 85% of the asphalt consumed in
the United States while we still suffer of good roads irrespective of
the abundance of Bitumen in our Nation. Many and innumerable Gemstones
the world requires are buried beneath our feet but we are swayed by the
sweetness of Oil.
Mr. President, We have a future as Nigerians blessed with the
understanding of our endowments-human and natural resources. We have a
hope as a Nation filled with brains and intelligential that know how
these endowments can be harnessed towards a common good for the poor
populace.
Most of all, we have a leader that sees beyond, plans ahead, and
makes a stance for the good and prosperity of his citizenry. And we
believe someday, we will be proud not only as Nigerians but as Mining
Engineers that sees the future-Solid Mineral-buried under the crust of
our land.
We hold on to the faith that we will soon smile to the World Economic
Forum to talk about the inventions and developments mining has brought
to our Nation and not about the unpredictable oil price. We will advise
the United Nations as regards the unseen benefit embedded in the Solid
Mineral endowment.
Mr. President, we have a hope not just for ourselves alone but for
those we left in school with our present challenges and worries for
their future in this country and most of all for posterity and the
children in our bowels that might take this path of exploration.
Mr. President we need your intervention in this abandoned, dying,
malnourished and neglected Goose capable of laying Unlimited Golden Egg.
Thank you while we await your reliable response.
