FCT SWAN Inaugurate Eight committees

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2021

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN FCT chapter on Tuesday in Abuja inaugurated eight different committees to help move the affairs of the association forward.

The short event took place at the Moshood Abiola stadium and was presided upon by the FCT SWAN Chairman, Bunmi Haruna.

Inagurating the committees, Comrade Haruna charged the committee members to put the welfare of SWAN topmost as they give their bit in promoting the association.

According to him, today we continue in our quest to reposition SWAN and return it to where it should be in the sports community.

“We cannot do it alone, so we have called on you to help give more visibility and push to this drive.

“As you go about your duties, please I want you to realise that the welfare of members comes first. Together we can, if we choose to do the right things the right way.” Haruna advised.

Responding on behalf of committee members, the Chairman SWAN Week Committee, Chris Onokpegu, promised that they will give their best at all times and will never let the association down.

“We understand the task at hand, we are committed and we will not disappoint you in any way.

” A huge task has been committed into our hands, we will go as far as needed to meet set targets.” He said.

The committees and members include:

1.SWAN FORUM
Ferdinand Duruoha – Chairman
Olaoluwa Aro – Secretary
Ojay Matthew – Member
Joel Ajayi – Member
Akin Bolarinwa – Member
Udeme George – Member

COMPETITION COMMITTEE
Tolu Oguntimehin – Chairman
Uche Nwudoh – Secretary
Wale Ayeni – Member
Yinka Elebute – Member
Kilajuolu Lekan – Member
Mohammed Saliu – Member
SEMINAR/WORKSHOP COMMITTEE
Niyi Busari – Chairman
Remi Sulola – Secretary
Dupe Oyewale – Member
Jide Olusola – Member
Joshua Odeyemi – Member
Collins Ajibola – Member
WELFARE COMMITTEE
Remi Sulola – chairperson
Joan Iwuchukwu – secretary
Oche Ngbede – Member
Kayode Raymond – Member
Ogechi Madu – Member
DISCIPLINARY/ ETHIC COMMITTEE.
Lucky Isawode – Chairman
Maxwell Nwachukwu – Secretary
David Ngobua – Member
Francis Achi – Member
Amaechi Agbo – Member
Tamara Ebiwei – Member
Odiri Akpan – Member
FINANCE/SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE.
Bunmi Haruna – Chairman
Uche Nwudoh – Secretary
Ebi Iyomon – Member
Sunday Ejembi – Member
Sylvia Ugi – Member
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Gani Oloyede – Chairman
Maxwell Nwachukwu – secretary
Lekan Olaseinde – Member
Wale Ajimotokun – Member
Ernest Osogbue – Member
Martins Odiete – Member
SWAN WEEK
Chris Onokpegu – Chairman
Udeme George – member
Omo Unubun – Secretary
Obasi Michael – member
Tolu Oguntimehin – member
Kilajuolu Lekan – member

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

16 hours ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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