Women in Mining in Nigeria stated on Tuesday that the drive to include women and girls in the sector was aimed at closing the gender gap.
Janet Adeyemi, the association’s national president, revealed this at the opening of the Girls for Mining Initiative in Jalingo, Taraba State’s capital.
Adeyemi stated that the campaign aimed to pique girls’ interest in the industry, allowing them to explore career choices and become actively involved in lawful mining activities.
She said, “There are limitless opportunities and prospects in the mining sector. About 70-80 percent of everything we use daily are products of mining, from the ceramic in your home to the gold and metals on your mobile phones, the glass on your windscreen and bulbs, and even the stainless steel and alloy on your wristwatches. So the mining industry can never be replaced or displaced.
“Today, Nigeria is dependent on crude oil as its major source of wealth. However, the world does not want crude oil anymore. Now they want solar energy, hydropower, and other sources of power that are not from oil.
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“So at this time, we are witnessing the gradual passing away of the oil and gas sector in the globe, and when it finally fades out, Nigeria will be left with only two means of wealth creation- mining and Agriculture. Nigeria’s mining sector will soon become more wealthy and prosperous than the Oil and Gas sector ever was in Nigeria.
“The question is, when the sector finally takes the front seat, who will call the shots and milking the benefits? When I look at statistics, of all the mainstream miners in Nigeria today, only 6.8% are women, the remaining 94% are men.
“So, the women in the mining sector today are a drop out of an ocean, and the few women in the sector are being edged out of the game by gender blind laws and by misogynists.”
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