Tinubu’s decision in mining sector faces pushback amid calls for reform

The Zamfara APC Youth Vanguard has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review his recent decision to appoint Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani as Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) and the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI).

In a statement released on Saturday, December 7, the group’s chairman, Hon. Muhammad Usman Gusau, expressed concerns over what it termed a “mix-up” in the announcement of Danfulani’s appointment.

The President had initially named Danfulani to the role on December 6, 2024, but a subsequent press release by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, replaced Danfulani with Hajia Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi.

The group called for President Tinubu to reconsider his decision, citing Danfulani’s extensive credentials in banking, computing, and business administration.

Highlighting his tenure as Zamfara State’s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and his academic qualifications from the University of Hertfordshire, Gusau said, “Danfulani is an embodiment of patriotism, a development expert with enormous intellectual capacity.”

While acknowledging Hajia Umaru-Shinkafi’s contributions as the outgoing Executive Secretary, the group stressed the need for fresh and innovative leadership aligned with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Danfulani’s wealth of experience and innovative mindset would significantly contribute to the revitalization of SMDF and PAGMI,” the statement read, expressing optimism that President Tinubu would resolve the issue for the mining sector’s growth.

The Zamfara APC Youth Vanguard is hopeful that a final decision will prioritise development and transformation in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.