* Fayemi

Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State will play host to no  fewer than 3,000 critical stakeholders in the mining sector, drawn from the 36 states Wednesday, November 6 - Friday, November 8 being  the  third edition of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD).

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite and the Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah plus  state commissioners and Permanent Secretaries in charge of mining and mineral resources ministries  from the 36 states are expected at the meeting. Also expected include participants from the academia,  private sector security, practitioners and leaders of mining unions.

Themed " Nigeria Minerals and Metal Sector: Spectrum for Investment Opportunities for Economic Growth and Development",  the meeting would among other things, review current trends in the mining and minerals sector of the economy.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, host to the meeting, says the importance of the council meeting cannot be over emphasised in order to ensure the country reaps bountifully from the present administration's huge investments in agriculture and mining to grow the economy and create jobs.

Governor Fayemi, who chaired the inaugural meeting of the council in 2017 in his capacity as the then Minister of Mines and Steel Development, said all hands must be on deck to ensure that mining and agriculture contribute optimally to the nation's economy.

The Governor said adequate arrangements have been made for  safety of the participants during their stay in the state.

Other highlights of the 3- day meeting, which will hold at the Trade Fair Complex, Ado- Ekiti includes paper presentations, meeting of technical working groups, field tour and  peer review.

The meeting will also examine challenges of informal mining activities for improved revenue generation as well as infrastructure gaps in the sector, among others.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Mineral Resources Development Agency, and Co- Chair of the Local Organising Committee, Mr Tokunbo Alokan, has said careful planning were being made to ensure a hitch- free programme with attendant gains for the economy