FG Denies NEF Claim on Lagos Gold Refinery
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed allegations by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the Fededfdef ral Government breached the federal character principle by locating a gold refinery in Lagos.
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Mr. Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Dr. Dele Alake, clarified that the claim misrepresented the Minister’s remarks on the planned inauguration of a gold refinery project and ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector. The ministry stressed that the Federal Government neither owns nor has established a gold refinery in Lagos or elsewhere in Nigeria.
Tomori explained that the refinery cited by NEF is a private initiative by Kian Smith, a fully private mining company, established to support local gold industry development. He emphasized that the government does not dictate the location of private sector investments, which are determined by commercial and operational considerations.
The ministry urged the public to distinguish between government projects and private sector ventures, reiterating its commitment to fostering solid minerals development nationwide. Tomori also commended the refinery’s founder and Managing Director, Ms. Nere Emiko, for her perseverance in delivering a flagship project aligned with the government’s value-addition policy, which encourages local processing of minerals to boost domestic manufacturing.
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