The country director of Minerals and Mining Centre, MMC, an international private sector-driven organisation, Dr Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, has urged artisanal and small-scale miners, ASMs, in Africa to close ranks and adopt home-grown approach in unlocking the potentials of the continent’s rich minerals resources for sustainable development.
Asokoro-Ogaji in an interview with the Centre’s Nigerian team in London, challenged the private sector players in Nigeria to rise to action for the growth of the sector as local players, but with global mindset, a statement said.
According to her, they also need to be opened to global standards and innovations that would enable them grow locally a globally competing mining industry.
The MMC contributes its own quota to the development of the solid minerals sector through engagement of key stakeholders to harness the sector’s potentials in exploration, exploitation, licensing, contracting, taxation, exporting, mineral processing and handling at national level.
“The way forward for artisanal and small scale miners in Africa is to look inwards and draw strength from each other and make progress as home grown companies. We appreciate foreign investors and their interest in developing africa but the mission of MMC is to assist local miners to improve towards more advanced approach and be able to compete in the global marketplace,” the country director said.
The statement disclosed that at the Minerals and Miners Conference organised by MMC in London, talks were ongoing with notable companies interested in working with corporate members of MMC in diverse areas of business and technology development for the industry.
“Business talks have been initiated by MMC with GSL Mineral Processing and K-Mines for exploration and operational optimization for managing resources and maximising yield.
“The solutions include open cut and underground mining system simulations, structural 3D modeling of mineral deposits and tools needed by mining companies for pits design, haul roads and mine structures,” the statement said.
Asokoro-Ogaji stressed the need for miners to key into global solutions for process optimisation and reduce analogue approach to mining to ensure quality, integrity, general acceptability by investors.
“The MMC will continue to discuss with the global solution providers in the industry for its members and strategise for the growth of the sector via private sector led initiatives and solutions.
“In Nigeria we are already launching the internship and mentorship program by 14th December at the National Assembly Hall. Six Hundred and Firty Two (642) Nigerians have registered and I hinted the Minister about it yesterday. These are actions taken to bridge the huge knowledge gap and this conference in London has revealed the gap indeed. We need to rise up and get to work, the country director said.
The MMC event in London is an annual event focused on reporting KPIs by each member company or JVs.
