The Federal Government has completed the rail line from Warri Port through Ajaokuta to Itakpe, Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development Abubakar Bwari said yesterday.
He spoke in Abuja at the Third Nigeria Mining Week organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria, in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Spintelligent.
Bwari said the completion of the ongoing works in Warri Port and the Escravos would ease access to the deep sea and open up business opportunities for Ajaokuta and Delta steel plants.
He added that the completion of the dredging of River Niger and almost completion of Warri Port and the Escravos channel would facilitate export and import of goods through the Delta port, using flat bottom vessels.
The minister added that the electro-magnetic survey data for three highly prospective gold and lead zinc zones have also been acquired and are available for interested investors.
He added that the ministry has strengthened its policy and institutional frameworks for investors in the minerals sector and it daily gets easier to do mining business in Nigeria.
He said: “The government has released funds from the dedicated Natural Resources Development Fund for the generation and provision of necessary geosciences data to attract investors. Indeed, five exploration works contracts and consulting services for gold and platinum group metals; Rare Earth Metals; Base Metals; Barytes; and Iron Ore, were recently awarded through competitive bidding to carry out resource mapping for potential mineral prospects.
“In a similar development, the Electro-magnetic survey data for three highly prospective gold and lead zinc zones have also been acquired and are available for interested investors.”