‘EMPTY BARRELS’ – OTTI DISMISSES UZOR KALU, ORJI, IKPEAZU OPPOSITION GANG-UP. (PHOTO)

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 ‘Empty barrels’ – Otti dismisses Uzor Kalu, Orji, Ikpeazu opposition gang-up Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has urged Abians to disregard recent remarks by some leaders of the opposition in the state. Governor Otti who was speaking on Saturday at Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Umuoriehi, Umuahia North LGA, during the dedication of the church building, said that those who are gathering against him were the same people that failed to develop the state in the past. Otti was reacting to an alliance formed against his re-election by former Abia governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu. The governor slammed the opposition members for pursuing personal interest above the collective development of Abia, declaring that every gathering they are making against him would collapse. He said, “Pastor Uguru made reference to the noise that you may have been hearing in the last few days. “I want us to just dismiss it as noise, you know, and it’s always the empty barrel that makes...

ANAMBRA GOVT TARGETS MINERAL RESOURCES FOR ECONOMIC, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. (PHOTO).


 Anambra Government targets mineral resources for economic, industrial development


The Anambra State government said it is stepping up efforts to harness the State’s abundant mineral resources to boost Nigeria’s economic and industrial development.


Speaking in an interview in Awka, the Managing Director of Anambra State Solid Mineral Development Company Limited, Professor Charles Ofoegbu, said the State is richly endowed with a variety of commercially valuable minerals that could significantly contribute to agriculture, infrastructure, and industrial growth.


Ofoegbu noted that illegal mining activities remain a major challenge, with multiple unregulated bodies collecting revenues outside the law.


“The existence of several regulatory organs imposing compliance arbitrarily, without certification from the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), has created inefficiencies and revenue leakages,” he said.


He explained that the recent Solid Mineral Reforms are designed to regulate mining operations, covering procedures for obtaining mining leases, environmental safeguards, corporate social responsibility, and community development plans.


“The abundant minerals in the State are mostly illegally mined, with little or no regulation, resulting in financial losses for the government,” Ofoegbu said


“The abundant minerals in the State are mostly illegally mined, with little or no regulation, resulting in financial losses for the government,” Ofoegbu said.


Anambra State is reported to have significant deposits of kaolin (Ukpor, Ozubulu), clay/bentonite (Achama-Agu), ironstone/sand (Uga, Ogbunike, Nsugbe, Abagana, Owerre-Ezukala), laterite (Umunya, Enugwu-Agidi, Ezinifite, Awka Ihedi, Utuh), river sand (River Niger and Anambra River banks), gravel (Nsugbe, Ogbunka, Abagana), plaster sand (Nanka, Agu-Amawbia, Nsugbe), and lignite/brown coal (Ukpor, Oba, Oraifite, Akwukwu, Ozubulu, Nnewi).


According to Ofoegbu, the geology of the State spans the Mamu Formation (Senonian), Paleocene (Ebenebe), Ameki Formation (Nanja Sand/Nsugbe), and Oligocene-Miocene (Omambala/Anambra River), providing a strong foundation for sustainable mining development.


However, he acknowledged challenges, including limited infrastructure for the extraction, processing, and transportation of minerals, environmental degradation, and pollution.


Ofoegbu said modern technology is gradually replacing traditional excavation methods, addressing health risks and occupational hazards faced by miners.


Ofoegbu said the state government is committed to addressing infrastructure gaps, environmental concerns, and investment needs to fully unlock Anambra’s mineral wealth and strengthen its contribution to national development.

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