Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has disclosed plans to engage the services of an international expert to train about forty Nigerians in jewelry, as soon as the ban on international flight is lifted.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, who stated this yesterday at an interactive session on the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI), in Abuja, noted that the country has enough gemstones to create the industry.

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While encouraging Nigerians to broaden their investments in the mining sector, he revealed that two gold refineries would be ready soon.
He said: “An expert will be coming to the country very shortly when the international travel ban is lifted to train Nigerians in jewelry making.
“We are selecting about 40 people to train them in jewelry making. We are going to pick one person per state and Abuja, making it 37.
“Essentially the remaining 3 will be training the trainers. Those who will be trained will train other Nigerians. We have a lot of gemstones. We want to create that industry. They will now use our local gold.
“A lot of people are putting their money in gold. Gold will add to our foreign reserves. So we do not need to sell crude oil to add to our reserve. It is away of creating employment for our people. So, we need to get Nigerians interested in mining and invest in it. Nigeria has about 400 gold buying points.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, Solid Mineral Development Fund, Hajiya Fatima Shinkafi, encouraged women to actively partake in  mining business especially the aspect that is less strenuous.
Shinkafi disclosed that before the end of the year, the country should be able to produce 3 tonnes of gold and 10 tonnes in years to come.
“We will produce up to 3 tonnes by the end of the year. And in subsequent year it is going to be about 10 tonnes,” she said.