Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The federal government has warned artisanal and informal miners to desist from selling raw gemstones at ridiculous prices for export to countries such as United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the United States.
It said that it had commenced the process of discouraging the perpetrators involved in such act, thereby engaging experts to train locals in gemstones and jewelry production to compete with counterparts anywhere in the world.
The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Senator Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki, gave the warning on the occasion of the graduation and sendforth of Batch 2 Master Gemstone and Jewellery Making and Design trainees in Abuja.
Saraki, who spoke at the presentation of certificates to the students, disclosed that Nigeria is abundantly blessed with several varieties of mineral resources such as precious and semi-precious gemstones.
She added that some of the most popular…
Source: Thisday Newspaper
