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LEADERSHIP NOT EASY, BUT… THE WAY FORWARD: A STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT FOR REVIVAL OF MINERALS IN EBONYI

By Chukwu Abia Chikaodiri |Grassrootsmirro 

June 28, 2025

Leadership is not easy. It is a burden that demands vision, sacrifice, foresight, and the courage to confront both visible and hidden challenges. But leadership is also a privilege, the opportunity to steer people toward a better future. In a state like Ebonyi, endowed with vast mineral resources yet struggling with underdevelopment, visionary leadership is the only path toward transformation.

Ebonyi, located in the southeastern region of Nigeria, is often referred to as the "Salt of the Nation" due to its famous salt lakes. However, beyond salt, the state is rich in lead, zinc, limestone, granite, kaolin, and other industrial minerals. Sadly, decades of neglect, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent government policies have left these treasures buried beneath a mountain of unrealized potential.

But all hope is not lost. This article outlines a strategic blueprint for the revival of minerals in Ebonyi, with the ultimate aim of making Ebonyi State not only the mineral capital of Nigeria but a booming industrial and business hub in Africa.

I. The Harsh Realities: Why Leadership in Ebonyi Faces Challenges

To lead Ebonyi toward industrial growth, one must first understand the landscape. Leadership in Ebonyi, especially in the area of mineral resources, faces several challenges:

  • Poor Infrastructure: Many mining communities lack access roads, power supply, and processing plants.
  • Inadequate Policy Implementation: Previous administrations created mineral development plans that were not sustained.
  • Illegal Mining: Unregulated and informal mining activities dominate the sector, causing revenue loss and environmental degradation.
  • Lack of Technical Know-How: Most local miners lack modern mining knowledge and tools, resulting in low productivity and unsafe practices.
  • Limited Investor Confidence: Without clear data, stable policies, and infrastructure, investors remain hesitant to enter the Ebonyi mineral sector.

Leadership is not easy, but leadership is about facing these difficulties, not avoiding them.

II. The Untapped Goldmine: Strategic Importance of Ebonyi's Mineral Resources

Ebonyi’s mineral wealth is not only extensive—it is strategically positioned to power industries across Nigeria and the continent:

  • Salt: Abakaliki salt lakes can support both food industries and chemical production.
  • Limestone: Ideal for cement factories and construction-related industries.
  • Lead and Zinc: Essential for battery manufacturing, steel galvanization, and electronics.
  • Kaolin: Used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and ceramics.
  • Granite and Crushed Stone: For road construction and housing projects.

If harnessed, Ebonyi’s mineral wealth could generate thousands of jobs, attract billions in investment, and position the state as a trade gateway between the North, South-East, and beyond.

III. The Way Forward: A Strategic Blueprint for Revival

A clear strategy is needed, a roadmap that combines policy, investment, infrastructure, education, and security. Here’s a step-by-step plan:

1. Institutional Reforms and Governance

  • Establish the Ebonyi State Minerals Development Authority (ESMDA): A body to coordinate all mineral-related activities, licenses, and partnerships.
  • Audit and Register All Mining Activities: Formalize and regulate all mining operations to reduce illegal mining.
  • Create a Policy Framework: Work with the federal Ministry of Mines and Steel to harmonize local laws with national policies for ease of doing business.

2. Infrastructural Development

  • Construct Mining Access Roads: Link mineral-rich communities like Ishiagu, Uburu, Nkalagu, and Izzi to major roads.
  • Establish Processing Zones and Industrial Parks: Move from raw extraction to value addition. Set up Mineral Processing Industrial Parks (MPIPs) in zones like Afikpo North and Ezza South.
  • Improve Power Supply and Water Systems: Ensure stable electricity in mining zones using renewable mini-grids and boreholes.

3. Human Capital Development

  • Set Up a Mining & Geological Training Institute: Train young Ebonyians in geology, mineral processing, and safety.
  • Promote Technical Vocational Education (TVET): Through polytechnics and tech hubs, equip youths with skills in mining tech, equipment handling, and machinery repair.
  • Attract Partnerships with Universities and Foreign Experts: Research and innovation must be part of the ecosystem.

4. Investment Attraction and Public-Private Partnership (PPP)

  • Host the Annual Ebonyi Mineral Investment Summit (EMIS): Market the state’s mineral potential to local and international investors.
  • Offer Tax Incentives and Land Access: Ease investor entry by creating Special Mineral Economic Zones (SMEZs).
  • Promote Cooperative Mining Clusters: Help local miners organize into cooperatives to access funding, training, and equipment.

5. Environmental Sustainability and Community Engagement

  • Enforce Environmental Regulations: Ensure mining does not destroy farmland, forests, or water sources.
  • Establish Community Development Agreements (CDAs): Ensure host communities benefit through schools, clinics, and roads.
  • Launch Green Mining Campaigns: Introduce eco-friendly mining techniques and tree-planting initiatives in mined-out areas.

6. Security and Legal Protection

  • Set Up Mineral Protection Taskforce: Ensure that legal miners are protected from extortion, illegal miners, and sabotage.
  • Digitize Monitoring with GIS and Satellite Tools: Use technology to monitor illegal operations and track mineral deposits.

7. Digital Transformation and Marketing

  • Develop the Ebonyi Mineral Portal (EMP): A government website where investors can view available licenses, register interest, and download geological data.
  • Use Drone and AI Technologies: Survey mineral belts and create a 3D map of mineral hotspots.
  • Launch a Media Campaign – “Explore Ebonyi”: Rebrand the state’s image as the New Industrial Heartland of Nigeria.

IV. A Glimpse Into the Future: Ebonyi as a Mineral-Driven Industrial Powerhouse

Imagine an Ebonyi where the once-rustic towns are bustling with factories. Where trucks carry granite from Ikwo to Lagos, and zinc from Ivo to Ghana. Where salt is refined and exported under the “Ebonyi Premium” brand. Where university students intern in modern mineral labs, and communities grow wealthy through mining dividends.

This vision is not fiction—it is a possibility. But it will take unbreakable leadership, grassroots involvement, and consistent implementation.

Leadership Not Easy, But Legacy Demands It

True leadership is not measured by popularity, but by impact. Ebonyi has what it takes: the people, the resources, and the resilience. What remains is a leadership class willing to dig deep—literally and figuratively—to unearth the goldmine beneath our feet.

The road may be rough. Mistakes may be made. But with bold, people-focused leadership, the revival of Ebonyi’s mineral sector could be the catalyst for a broader economic awakening that transforms the state into a global beacon of industrial excellence.

Let’s not wait for a miracle. The minerals are already here. The people are ready. The future is calling.

LEADERSHIP NOT EASY, BUT... IT’S WORTH IT.

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