Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State

The Australian Government says it is exploring investment opportunities in mining and agriculture in Plateau for the benefit of Nigeria and Australia.

Mr Paul Lehmann, the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, said this on Friday in Jos when he paid a courtesy call on Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau.

Lehmann said that the Australian Government was aware of the huge mining and agricultural potential of the state and was willing to invest in the state.

‘‘We have seen big opportunities and yesterday (Thursday), we were at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos; institutions like NIPSS could help us to explore the opportunities,’’ he said.

Besides, Lehmann said that his country was planning to give scholarship to government officials in areas that were of interest to the Federal Government.

He said that scholarship could be in areas of mining and agriculture, as the two sectors constituted the main focus of the Federal Government at the moment.

He said that Australia and Nigeria had a long diplomatic relations which dated back to 1960, adding that his country was willing to build on the relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The envoy commended Lalong for the restoration of peace in Plateau after the crisis that engulfed the state some years ago.

Lalong, who thanked the envoy for the visit, said that Plateau and Australia had many things in common.

He noted that while Plateau was the hub of mining in Nigeria, Australia had a global reputation for mining.

The governor said that his administration was determined to develop areas in which the state had comparative advantages, which were mining and agriculture.

He welcomed the Australia Government’s interest in investing in the two areas and pledged to partner with them for the benefit of Nigeria and Australia.

(NAN)