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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has commended the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, for attracting investors in solid minerals to the state and called on other governors in the country to emulate him.
A Chinese firm, Kenyang Mining Company, has committed to establishing a tantalite processing plant estimated to cost $250 million in Udege, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.
Impressed by Governor Sule’s successful journey to and from China to bring investors to the state, the Chief Convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said it was a good step worth emulating by other governors across the country where such mineral deposits abound.
“We noted that Kenyang, which has been mining and exporting raw tantalite from Udege since 2003, has resolved to establish a tantalite processing plant in the next 24 months that would cost the company $250 million.
“We noticed with satisfaction that the agreement was reached with the governor following his trip to China on the invitation of another Chinese firm, Lovol, which sponsored the entire trip without him expending a single kobo from the coffers of Nasarawa State throughout his one-week stay in China.
“The good news is that the governor had the opportunity to meet with the owners of a company called Kenyang, which had since 2003 been in Udege.
“We are happy with the governor that he made sure he saw all the materials they have been taking from Nasarawa Udege and to know what they have been doing with the materials over the years.
“They informed the governor that they don’t use metal in producing covers for telephones, but titanium and tantalite to produce them.
“It is indeed interesting to hear that the tantalite they are taking in Nasarawa State is the tantalite in Shanghai they are giving to the only manufacturer of this cover of telephones.
“We will continue to praise the efforts of Governor Sule for ensuring that the Chinese firm, Kenyang, promised to set up a tantalite processing plant in Udege within the next 24 months, with the company committed to paying degree holders a minimum of N500,000 monthly as salary.
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“We are indeed grateful to Governor Sule that after a one-week trip to China, an industrial equipment manufacturing company primarily focusing on agricultural equipment has also committed to establishing its maintenance facility in Nasarawa State.
“The governor equally visited another company in Tontin known as Julian, worth about $78 billion, and the third-largest lithium processing plant in China.
“Having the third-biggest lithium processing company in China, their turnover is $78 billion. This is what you get when there is merit, there is commitment, there is forward-looking, there is vision, and there is capacity to move things together.
“While travelling across China, especially the Hunan Province, the governor noticed that there was no available land that is not being utilised for agriculture, which is the major preoccupation of the people there.
“Following his trip to China, Governor Sule has renewed his commitment to give agriculture topmost priority, and his administration would ensure that every available land is cultivated.
“We can understand that Governor Sule’s trip to China is an eye-opener that Nigeria is yet to make good use of her vast land wasting away without being properly harnessed, because when the Chinese realised that they were poor, they all went back to the farm, so there is no idle and free land there.
“We are impressed that Governor Sule has vowed to implement the takeaways from China in his state by ensuring that every land in Nasarawa State is put to use by cultivating it.
“The governor also said that apart from the opportunities he has attracted from China, he has also learned from the Chinese the significance attached to talents and merit, which combine to make the Chinese successful.
“Nigeria should be serious like any other countries that are serious. They do not use any other sentiments apart from merit. Once you are merited, once you have the capacity, they give you the position that you deserve. Let us unite for the development of our country.
“We are therefore calling on the people of our dear country to set aside politics, tribe, and religion and to unite together in order to further develop Nigeria,” the statement said.
