The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has refuted claims by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the government violated the federal character principle by siting a gold refinery in Lagos.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to Minister Dele Alake, the ministry clarified that the refinery in question is a privately owned initiative of the mining company Kian Smith.
“There is no iota of truth in the allegation,” the statement read. “The new gold refinery is the initiative of Kian Smith, a 100 percent privately owned mining company.”
The ministry stressed that it never claimed ownership of the facility, noting that Minister Alake had clearly stated during its announcement that several gold refineries underway across the country are all privately owned.
Rebuke of NEF
Tomori criticized the NEF’s statement as lacking due diligence and undermining constructive discourse. He described the forum’s position as “deliberate mischief” and an “orchestration of mistrust,” lamenting that the once-respected group had become “a parody of its pioneers.”
Policy of Value Addition
The ministry explained that the refinery aligns with its policy of promoting local mineral processing to create jobs and attract foreign investment, rather than exporting raw materials. Other private projects under this policy include lithium and rare earth plants in Nasarawa State and Abuja.
Tomori urged the NEF to support President Bola Tinubu’s efforts toward economic self-reliance, emphasizing that the government cannot dictate the location of private enterprises, which base decisions on operational and market strategies.
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