The Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development and the Governors of Enugu and Ebonyi states have stressed the need for collaboration between the Federal and state governments for effective and profitable harnessing of the vast potentials in the solid minerals sector.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Ekong Sampson, Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, made these assertions when the Committee paid them a courtesy visit in their offices in Enugu and Abakaliki respectively.

The Chairman and members of the Committee had visited the two states on oversight activities to mining sites in the states.

Other members of the Committee during the visits included the Vice Chairman, Senator Kabeeb Mustapha, Deputy Majority Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Senate Anthony Ani, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, Senator Diket Plang and Senator Okechukwu Ezea.

Sampson said: “On behalf of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, we are here further to our oversight. We were in Ebonyi state where we went round some mining sites, to see how we can deepen the policies about mining in this country.

“We are here further to the mandate the Senate gave us to go round this country, and see how we can deepen the policies about mining in this country. “The solid minerals sector is one sector that clearly will help to drive the economy of Nigeria.”

On his part, the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, noted that the coun – try is basically sitting on a huge wealth but sometimes struggles to get access to the wealth.

“I also think that these committee’s task is of utmost importance,” he said. “It’s a very important task because solid minerals hold a very huge economic opportunity for this country, particularly when we think or talk about economic diversification.”