By Tony Obiechina Abuja
The various reforms instituted by the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) have largely met the expectation of mining stakeholders, President, Nigerian Chambers of Mining, Alhaji Sheu Sani has stated.
The Mining chief made the statement just as the Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office, Engr Obadiah Simon Nkom disclosed that his office has expanded the ongoing reform to ease access to seamless mining operations.
Sani who was also a former President of Association of Nigerian Miners said most changes miners advocated for such as the creation of zonal offices have been implemented.
According to him, the operationalisation of the zonal offices has eased the burden of miners across the nation even as he also highlighted digitisation of licencing process as another laudable steps stakeholders are happy with.
“We are happy with the ongoing reform and we appreciate government’s response to our decades of advocacy. The Cadastre has grown to be a reliable partner for miners. The agency has shown it recognises her new mandate in the race of national shift to non-oil sector”, he said.
The DG MCO, Engr Obadiah and the President of Mining Chamber spoke at the Mining Cadastre Day held at the ongoing 16th Abuja International Trade Fair organised by Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
He said the reform are meant to enhance transparency, accessibility and standardisation of the licencing process.
“We are innovating on various fronts. Aside all previous landmarks initiative, a current project we are Implementing is the thematic mapping of areas restricted from mining activities for integration into the Nigerian Mining Cadastre digital database. We hope to have a glance a map of areas where mining activities is not permitted for a number of reasons”, he added.
He also said this initiative will enable the licencing authority to know restricted areas on which mining licence cannot and should not be issued, adding that “the thematic mapping will serve both the authority and the investing public”.
He noted further that the MCO is also expanding the digitalisation project, citing “the establishment of a standard system of e-recording and e-archiving of licencing records in line with new system upgrade.
“We are creating a standard system of e-filling of our records. This is to ensure much needed digitisation of operations which will ease the burden for all stakeholders and facilitate foreign direct investment into the world mineral sector in the country.”
The Vice President Mines ACCI, Dr. Johnson Anene called on MCO to open licencing to more members of the Chamber while saying that the process of obtaining licence has not been easy but since the coming on board of the new DG it has become easier.
The Director General ACCI, Victoria Akai who welcomed the MCO team said, the presence of the mining licencing office is a major addition to the list of many frontline Federal and private Agencies that have made participation at the Abuja Trade Fair a must on their annual calendar. She urged the DG MCO to put this trade fair on the annual list of the “must participate” and “must attend” events in his Agency schedule.
“Earlier this year, the DG participated in our webinar Series focusing on the mining sector. The report of the webinar is today reproduced for further circulation and action by relevant agencies.
“Licensing is at the heart of mining sector; the positive changes and reforms you have introduced accounts for the current boost in mining activities across the country. I am particularly elated by the digitalization of the licensing process. This will surely expand direct investment in the nations mining sector.”
She acknowledged the proactive action of creating zonal offices of the agency to address challenges facing license holders adding that action has brought services to the doorstep of mining stakeholders across the six geo-political zone of the Federation.
“This innovation is a game changer as it reduced cost and stress of transacting business with the licensing authority. We seek closer collaboration with your agency especially as the Chamber also housed the Nigerian Chamber of Mines. We also have a strong virile Mining Trade Group which will highly leverage on your support”, he stated.
The Director General, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesugba also said mining is intricate to our existence as human beings adding that it supports our everyday life and that is why it is very important to give the sector all the attention it requires.
“From the early ages of human development up till now, it has always been people’s ingenuity in harnessing and transforming minerals deposits within their environment that sets them apart from others.”
Adesugba said despite the fact that Nigeria is endowed with vast deposit of diverse mineral resources of high value ranging from industrial metals and precious stones of different kinds spread across the 36 states including the FCT, these minerals are not exploited maximally due to poor infrastructure for extraction, processing and transportation.
“At best, the industry is largely artisanal and output very low in relation to the amount of deposit in the country.”
He added that at NEPZA Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, they are keen on the economic diversification agenda of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and have placed priority on development of the mining industry through Special Economic Zones scheme while assuring that in no distant time the country will start reaping the benefits of the initiative of Federal Government.
