The Minister of Solid Minerals development, Dr Dele Alake, has charged agencies in the solid minerals sector and personnel of the ministry to think outside the box and develop fresh seven-point agenda to move the sector to the next level.
According to him, some of the initial seven point agenda of the ministry would not be abandoned as they are at various levels of completion.
Dr Alake gave the charge while speaking at the 2026 Annual Ministerial Retreat in Abuja on the theme ‘Aligning the Ministerial 7- Point Agenda with the Presidential Mandate’.
According to Alake, “I want to charge every one of us to come up with initiatives that would take us beyond those seven points items on our agenda. For all I care, if we can set up a new seven point agenda above for it, I will be running, and we’ll be going and flying higher.
“We won’t abandon this current seven point agenda, because they are in various stages of completion. We must continue to consolidate by setting new goals and casting our eyes on new horizons.
“We must crest the mountain of success at all times; so, in this retreat, we must ask ourselves the questions, which areas we need to improve or set new agenda.”
Charging the participants on drafting the new seven-point agenda, he said that achieving real, measurable progress in the sector depends first and foremost on institutional effectiveness, a change in mindset and human factor.
Policies, programmes and investments, he noted, only translate into sustained results when individuals demonstrate the right values, professionalism and commitment.
In a statement on Sunday by Kania Maliki Andeyaba
Head, Press and Public Relations Department, Alake stressed that institutional effectiveness is a foundational requirement and personal responsibility of every individual to manifest appropriate values, ethics and professionalism.
Alake said without human element, even the best initiatives can fail to achieve intended outcomes.
Another area, the minister pointed out, is increase in the sector’s contribution to GDP.
He said efforts should be made to move beyond revenue increases to measurable GDP impact so that the benefits are clearly seen nationwide.
The minister also urged them to find ways to attract sustainable, higher-value investment because the current investments in the sector, he said, are only starting points, and that the goal is to get investments that realise the full value chain of raw materials.
He also tasked the participants on promoting value addition and beneficiary transfer to local communities, just as he emphasised on beneficiation and ensure direct, tangible benefits to host communities through strong Community Development Agreements (CDAs) and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Disclosing that he has requested a list of companies that failed to sign or implement CDAs, he warned of imminent drastic measures, including revocation of titles for non-compliance.
When companies honor CDAs, he said communities are incentivized to maintain peaceful conditions and create a positive cycle for continued investment.
To that extent, he pushed for more drastic measures to combat illegal mining and enhance sectoral security.
He said the ministry has proposed strengthening Mining Marshals and increasing operational capacity, including plans for armored vehicles, fences, arms and ammunitions.
The minister emphasised that the retreat should generate implementable ideas, cross-fertilise perspectives and allow frank feedback.
The permanent secretary of the ministry Engr Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the retreat is a strategic leadership session meant to align vision, strengthen resolve, and accelerate delivery of the ministry’s mandates under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.