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FG to Set Up Pilot Project on Bitumen From Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Federal Government said it intends to establish a pilot project for the exploitation of the country's vast bitumen resource. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Elder Odion Ugbesia, disclosed this at a meeting with Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel in Abeokuta. The Minister said that the phased implementation of the pilot project would precede the Air-borne Geo-physical Survey of solid mineral potentials currently going-on across the nation. Confirming the conclusion of the survey in Ogun State, Ugbesia said the report indicated the availability of Bitumen, Phosphates and Gold within the state, adding that what the officials of the ministry has come to do is to further confirm the exact sites and assess their viability. He said the FG would likely begin the phased phased implementation of the project in those areas where report on Geo-physical survey has been concluded adding that government is working on a seven-year plan of action to wipe out illegal mining by smaller-scale miners through a scheme to be jointly funded with the World Bank. The Federal Government had in 2003, awarded a contract to a foreign firm - Fugar to conduct a survey of the solid mineral availability in Ogun State at the cost of $800,000 (N12 million). The same company was also to undertake similar survey in other parts of the country to tune of $10 million ( N1.3 billion). Ugbesia explained the country's drive towards solid mineral development as a fall out of the precarious economic situation which the nation has been subjected to on account of undue dependence on oil as a sole revenue earner. "Our over-dependence on oil has been creating undue distortions in our economic life, thus it is now time for diversification to harness other natural resources in the country", he said. The minister told the governor that President Olusegun Obasanjo is very keen on actualisation the dream of solid mineral resources to occupy an equally enviable status in our economic life like oil. Daniel expressed hope that the right framework would be adopted for the tapping of these resources and check illegal miners. Who Are We ? | About THISDAYOnLine.com | THISDAY People | Contact Us © Copyright 2000 Leaders & Company Limited

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