From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Zamfara Miners Co-operatives Society and the Association of Small-Scale Miners in Nigeria, Zamfara State Chapter, have commended President Bola Tinubu for renewing Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s appointment as Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund and Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI).
The Society’s Chairman, Bello Usman Bagega, in a statement yesterday, said Umaru-Shinkafi’s appointment is a testament to her unwavering commitment, integrity, probity, and professionalism in discharging her national duty of diversifying the nation’s economy and boosting citizens’ standards of living.
Bagega added: “Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s managerial acumen, tenacity of purpose, and vast experience in the solid minerals sector have significantly transformed the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative into a private sector-driven project instrumental in revamping the economy.
“Under her amazing leadership, SMDF collaborated with numerous local and foreign organisations, including the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), to explore and maximise the nation’s solid minerals deposits, thus making them attractive to foreign investors.
“She is an asset in President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s resolve to turn around the nation’s economy and foster sustainable development in Nigeria.
“A quintessential administrator, we are pleased to be associated with her achievements and will continue to partner with SMDF/PAGMI in advancing the solid minerals sector.
“We urge citizens to support and pray for Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi as she charts the way forward for the solid minerals sector. It is a new dawn in accelerating Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda of providing the fruits of democracy to citizens.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Association of Small-Scale Miners in Nigeria, Zamfara State Chapter, Abubakar Rabiu, described Umaru-Shinkafi’s reappointment as a well-considered decision that will further consolidate, deepen, and strengthen the solid minerals sector.
Rabiu said: “The association extends warm congratulations to Hajia Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi for the renewal of her appointment by President Tinubu and urges her to justify the confidence Nigerians have reposed in her to drive the non-oil sector of the economy in tandem with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda of a prosperous, equitable, and just democratic nation.
“The association praises Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi for her dedication and commitment to the development of the solid minerals sector in Nigeria, which has attracted foreign investors, empowered local miners, and provided jobs to thousands of youths, thus contributing significantly to the country’s gross domestic product.
“A paragon of excellence, Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi will be motivated to take the solid minerals sector to the next level.
“President Tinubu has once more fulfilled one of his campaign promises of appointing women to key positions in government, an eloquent testimony that his government is gender-friendly.
“The association is proud of Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi and will support her leadership of SMDF/PAGMI in contributing to revamping the nation’s economy and providing dividends of democracy to citizens.
“We urge Nigerians to support this woman of destiny in our collective quest for a better society.”