Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has inaugurated a steering committee to harness the state’s solid minerals and human resources.

Speaking at the event in Damaturu on Tuesday, Mr Buni charged the committee with creating a friendly, conducive business environment to attract investors from within and outside Nigeria.

Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idi Gubana, the governor said solid minerals were vital to the state’s development, offering opportunities for revenue generation, job creation and infrastructure growth.

He said proceeds from solid minerals could drive economic diversification, empower local communities and improve citizens’ quality of life.

“It is necessary for the state government to establish a steering committee to monitor, advise and report on progress in the sector to ensure government objectives are achieved,” he said.

Mr Buni listed the committee’s terms of reference as including strategic leadership and policy direction, institutional coordination and single-window governance, and investment facilitation and project acceleration.

Others are regulatory facilitation and revenue assurance, as well as community interface, dispute resolution and escalation.

The committee has the governor as chairman, his deputy as vice chairman and the Managing Director of Yobe Mining Development Company Limited as secretary.

Other members include the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

Yobe has no fewer than 26 solid minerals, including gold, limestone, gypsum, trona, diatomite, granite and kaolin.

 (NAN)