REVIVAL OF NIGERIAN INDUSTRIES FOR MASS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT; BY SADIQ UMAR ABDULLAHI! Bsc, LLb, MA, BL, Ph.D,Esq

The discovery and exploration of natural resources in both southern and northern Nigeria are of unimaginable quantity and quality. Since the oil boom in the 70's which replaced farming in the agricultural sector and groundnut pyramids, Cocoa, Cotton, crude oil, and other forms of solid minerals that have been discovered, explored and exploited in the northern part of the country which has vast quantity of gold deposits that range from Zamfara State to Katsina State and Kaduna State which has been measured and equated to having more quantity of gold than most African countries.

These natural resources are considered as the new potential source of revenue for the government, the future of Nigerian economy and employment. The government has also recently published that crude oil deposit in commercial quantity have been discovered in the northeastern part of the country like Borno State,Bauchi State,Yobe State and Niger State which happens to be in the north central region of Nigeria.

The solid minerals ministry has strategic departments and paratatals that provide the opportunities for the Government and was opined by the Ag.DG of one of the paratatals, Hajia Rabi Sodangi, stated that Nigeria could attain the needed infrastructural development, industrialization, drastically reduce  poverty and unemployment through the development of the solid minerals sector. In fact the solid minerals sector could positively impact eight of the seventeen sustainable development goals. She also stated that the sector can reach its full potential by "Impact of the Solid Minerals Sector on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

It was resolved by the heads of 193 United Nation Member Nations in September 2015 that the achievement of the SDGs is facilitated by the private sector, especially the Mining sector.

The sector if properly developed can impact positively on the eight of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs) as follows
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➢ SDG I (End Poverty in all its forms everywhere) – The sectors contribute to poverty reduction through employment generation and development of infrastructure that facilitate economic development. It also provides direct, indirect and induced royalties and taxes to the community.

➢ SDG 2 (End Hunger and achieve food security and improved nutrition) – Although mining disrupts agricultural land usage and degrades crop land, it can help reduce hunger through production of agro minerals like macro and micro nutrients and fertilizers. It can collaborate on agricultural extension and training programs for small scale farmers to improve food production.

➢ SDG 3 (Ensuring good health and well being for all at all ages) – Mining brings about significant health challenges such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases through air pollution and increase communicable disease such as HIV/Aids as well as introduce drug abuse in some cases. Therefore mining companies should be made to provide or facilitate provision of health care services.

They should also reclaim mined land into parks and green spaces.
➢ SDG 6 (Ensue access to clean water and sanitation for all) – Mining companies uses significant amount of water and can also negatively impact on water quality. It should be made to increase or provide clean water supply to the community.

➢ SDG 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all) - Mining is an energy intensive operation. Therefore mining concerns must supply energy to the mining site and it must extend to the community

➢ SDG 8 (Employment and economic growth) Mining provides employment to the community and has potential for large economic multipliers through local procurements which also provides business incubators in arrears of low skill labor which helps to drive more sustainable, long term, and diversified economic growth.

➢ SDG 9 (Build resilient infrastructure and promote sustainable Industrialization and foster innovation) -  Mining requires infrastructure such as water, power, transport, ICT etc. hence it is an opportunity for the communities where mining is taking place to fast track the development of infrastructure such as power lines, roads, railways, water pipelines, ICT etc.

➢ SDG 17 ( Revitalize global partnership for sustainable development) – Mining companies interact with many stakeholder groups, hence can become a catalyst for broad partnership around the goals of the community, region, national and international levels; providing coordination and alignment among stakeholders for optimum transformative sustainable development, ranging from capacity building to improved quality of geosciences data generation".

The exploration and exploitation of the natural and solid minerals will lead to the development in rural areas all across the country. There are so many citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that have invested their resources in different countries across the globe thereby contributing the development of other economies instead of theirs. The economies they channeled their funds in order to create and extend their business empires and investment to gain interest and secure higher profits is also possible or would yield the same effect by investing in Nigeria. The government should encourage such individuals to invest in Nigeria instead of other countries abroad. If the government can create incentives for those citizens, it will encourage them to redirect their resources in the nations industries that have been decadent and dysfunctional for decades.

By doing so, institutions like mining industries for extraction of natural resources and solid minerals will create an avenue that will divert the opportunities of development to rural areas because most of the places where such projects will be established are mostly in rural locations. It will also create employment opportunities and other businesses might evolve due to the industrial projects that will be executed in their various locations and the masses will be occupied by initiating activities in order to sustain their livelihood and utilize the development of their societies.

The second phase of creating means of employment and development would be the revival and commissioning of the AJAOKUTA STEEL ROLLING COMPANY, the Company is currently 98% completed and the need for its completion can not be overemphasized. Steel is the bedrock of industrialization and a key factor for sustainable development. You cannot build infrastructure without steel. A nation that is not industrialized will continue to import everything and continue to suffer from unemployment. Its relevance is unmatched to any industry in Nigeria. The "AJAOKUTA STEEL ROLLING COMPANY" being the pillar and bedrock of the mines and steel projects will be a major source of revenue to the government and serve as a source of income for the youths that have been employed to resuscitate the completion of the industry and establishment for optimal utilization with regard to the developing the country as a whole.

A second option for such development in Nigeria is the revival of Katsina State "STEEL ROLLING COMPANY" which is equally important due to the possibilities and prospect that can be achieved by making it functional for the growth of the economy and a source of revenue for the government as well. The steel rolling company in Katsina State also has the potential of creating thousands of employment opportunities and manufacturing of products that can be used to revive other industries that have not been producing raw materials for a few decades as well. The structure of the establishment is still clearly visible and contains all the machinery's needed to commence the production of goods for exportation and trade, which will be a source of revenue for the government as well. The opportunities are endless if the governments decide to utilize such industries that will lead to a direct effect on other industries across the nation. There are so many paratatals in the sector of Mines and Steel that will provide opportunities for the government to create thousand of employment opportunities for the youths in country and the masses that are desperately need activities that will enable them to sustain their livelihood and development of the societies they reside in Nigeria.