ONDO BEGINS GRANITE MARBLE FACTORY...
Ondo state government has put in place all machineries for the production of granite marbles in the country.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Thursday joined Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to flag - off the production of 1.5million Granite marbles and dimension stones at Afo Community in Ose local government area of the state.
The flag - off of the project was part of the activities marking the First year anniversary of Akeredolu administration in the state.
Fayemi said the state will relive the country from importing huge amount of Granite marbles for local construction factories and other consumers. Adding that asphalt production will also soon begins in the state through the bitumen deposit in the state.
The minister disclosed that 3.5 million meters of Granite marbles are imported into Nigeria out of the 4million Granite marble consumed in the country annually.
Fayemi informs that the , 1.5million annual production of the stones in Ondo state, that the project will save the county hard earned foreign exchange, create employment opportunities and substitute for import.
His words, "I want to thank Mr. Governor for the Flag-off of this project . The importance of solid mineral, particularly dimension stones in our country can not be over emphasized the importance to the nation's economy.
"Every year in Nigeria, we consume about 4million square meters of granites marble in this country. Out of that 4million that is consumed and utilized by our construction factories and various consumers, only about half a million is produced locally, so we import 3.5million meters of dimension stones from countries like China, Italy, Spain and all other countries where they produce such.
"This is a much larger factory of dimension stones in Ondo state. It save Nigeria hard earned foreign exchange. What is produced locally here, will be cut, polish locally, and if not much better than what obtains from countries like China and other places , which I can vouch that stones here will compete favorably with others globally.
"So , for me, this is a success story for the Ministry that I supretend and I want to thank Mr. Governor and the Afo Community for making this possible".
While the minister posits that , most people do not know the resources that are buried under the soil in this country until they start excavating them and turning them into wealth,a adding that the people will not appreciate the importance of allowing our natural endowment to be developed by us.
Fayemi , who lauded Akeredolu for putting more efforts in the non oil sector of the economy, especially with projects like the Multi-million Poultry and Egg powder plant in Emure, Ethanol plant in Ose and other Agriculture initiatives of the Akeredolu led administration.
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