By Alex Enemana, The Rock Post
As part of efforts to enhance business operation in the mining sector, the Mining Cadastre Office, MCO and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ACCI have formed a partnership targeted at protecting the interest of commerce in Abuja and the nation at large.
This is even as it is expected that the partnership will enable the ACCI to express the opinion of business community on operations affecting trade, industry, mines and agriculture.
Speaking at the NIGERIA MINING CADASTRE DAY, on Wednesday at the 16th Abuja International Trade Fair organized by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ACCI, the Director General, Mining Cadastre Office, MCO, Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom noted that a nexus exists between the MCO and the ACCI.
He said this partnership between ACCI his office, the MCO, which is the only federal establishment responsible for the processing of mineral title application, issuance and administration of licenses and permits will encourage better understanding and unified sense of operation among businesses and business organizations.
Speaking further, the Director General noted that the coming together of both critical stakeholders in the sector will further protect the interest of commerce and industry to enhance business stability.
He said the ACCI has a responsibility to organize businesses and improve the economic atmosphere of the mining sector, assuring that the MCO will adopt workable strategies that will be productive to the sector and strengthen ease of doing business.
While revealing that MCO has undergone series of reforms over the years, Engr. Nkom said currently, the Mining Cadastre Office has an unmanned system which allows applicants of mineral titles globally to submit their applications without any interface with the MCO officials. This he says is a deliberate policy to reduce the burden associated with distance for mineral title applicants.
In her remarks, the Director General Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Victoria Akai said the ACCI has over the years looked for an avenue to key into the economic diversification drive of the federal government.
Describing the “Mining Cadastre Day day” as a threshold for the organization in this quest, Akai expressed gratitude that the ACCI has finally secured the endorsement of critical stakeholders, including the MCO.
“The Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office has promised us that licensing is going to be much easier for businesses. We are very excited about this partnership.
“This is like the beginning of a new partnership for us, another level for it. Right here, we have been able to establish the Mining Trade Group, Gemstone Marketers and Miners Association.
“The icing on the cake is that the Mining Cadastre Office has come. We are excited, we are grateful, we look forward to better relationship with the MCO and we look forward to a better mining industry.
“The Mining Cadastre Office is now a part and parcel of ACCI and ACCI is now part and parcel of Mining Cadastre Office. There is no how the government can work independently. The private sector and the government are to work together for progress” she noted.
Akai said the ACCI has remained a strong advocate of ease of doing business, adding that despite the difficult business environment, the exhibitors at the trade fair turned out in good numbers.
According to her, events of such nature injects funds into the economy, urging the government to do more in enhancing the ease of doing business.
Also speaking, the Managing Director/CEO Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA Prof. Adesoji Adesugba expressed satisfaction over the MCO and ACCI partnership.
Represented by his SA, Mr. Okey Odukwe, the NEPZA boss while observing that mining plays an important role in the existence of humans added that the sector deserves any attention it can muster to position it for effective performance.
He also reiterated the readiness of his office to lend the needed support in the diversification of the nation’s economy away from oil in line with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“For this, there is no gainsaying that every great and prosperous nation of the world today can trace its greatness to the development of this all-important sector. From automobile, construction, medical, agriculture etc., mining has remained the critical source of input materials to these sectors.
“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. However, 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.
“At the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, we 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. I can assure that in no distant time the country will start reaping the benefits of the initiative of Federal Government” Prof. Adesugba said.
