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Economy

Plateau Govt signs MoU with private investor on mining

Plateau Govt signs MoU with private investor on mining

By Blessing Odega
Mining
Jos, Oct. 29, 2019 (NAN) The Plateau Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an indigenous company, Solid Unit Nigeria Limited, for mining of lead and zinc in the state.
Mr Jude Dakur, the state Commissioner for Mineral Development, who signed on behalf of the government on Tuesday in Jos, said the act was a giant step towards reviving the economy of the state.
Dakur said that the MoU would also boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state, and in turn create more jobs for unemployed youths.
The commissioner said the exploitation of the solid minerals would make the state take its rightful place in the sub-sector as Plateau was endowed with so many untapped minerals.
He called on other private investors to take a cue from the indigenous mining company by investing in the state.
Dakur said that development of solid minerals would lead to the diversification of the economy and help in stemming the tide of unemployment.
Alhaji Abdullahi Usman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, commended the government for the partnership.
Usman called on other states to emulate Plateau in encouraging indigenous miners to synergise with them and for the mining of the solid minerals. (NAN)
UBO/EMO/MST
Edited by Ejike Obeta/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Mining: Expert charges host communities to demand for rights

Mining: Expert charges host communities to demand for rights

By Emmanuel Mogbede
Mining
Abuja, Sept. 11, 2019 (NAN) Mr Akachukwu Okafor, an Energy, Environment and Sustainability expert, has advised mining host communities to demand for their rights to avoid mining companies from exploiting them.
Okafor, a Consultant with Global Rights and Change Partners International, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said most mining companies in the country failed to deliver their social responsibilities to host communities because of their ignorance.
He said there was need for host mining communities to set-up structures that would enable them engage effectively with mining companies interested in prospecting in their communities.
He added that mining host communities should ensure and verify that mining companies conducted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before they were given mining licences by government to mine.
“Most importantly communities should be vigilant and swift in reporting incidences of environmental abuse and pollution to the environmental protection agency as soon as it is detected.
“This should be done after efforts to get mining companies to address such issues were not fruitful,” Okafor said.
He said while keeping abreast with their rights and privileges, mining host communities should build their capacities in areas of skills needed by the extractive industry to make them employable.
He added that while it was the responsibility of mining companies to provide social responsibility to host communities, government should ensure that laws guiding activities in the extractive industry were enforced.
He, however, advised that mining host communities should be co-investors in their communities, saying that this is critical to ensure that mining and environmental laws are upheld.
Okafor further advised that mining companies should ensure that they complied with the provisions of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) they sign with the host mining communities, including local content. (NAN)
EEM/OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Environment

CSOs seek harmonised law to protect mining communities

 CSOs seek harmonised law to protect mining communities

Law
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, April 12, 2019 (NAN) The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) has called for harmonisation of policies and laws to protect communities living in mining sites.

The General Secretary, Komlan Messie, made this call at the opening of the Civil Society Workshop on Mining and Mining Development Act in Abuja on Friday.

According to him, the ECOWAS Mineral Development Policy (EMDP) recognises the need for strategic shifts in the role of mining in the transformation of West Africa’s economy.

He noted that harmonisation of institutional, legislative and regulatory frameworks would help in the enhancement of effective environmental protection of mining activities.

“West Africa has one of the nest resources in the world, but citizens have not seen the economic impact of those mining resources in our countries.

“This is due to some imbalance, it is important for governments to balance this through domestic resources mobilisation and to have a harmonised mining code, so that the population benefits from it”.

He said there was the need for safe mining processes, adding that conditions of mining activities have larger impact on women and others who depend on it for survival.

According to him, the environmental, economic impact of mining should be taken into account, protection of these sites should be a priority, especially by ensuring that environmental impact assessment is taken into account.

Messie said continuous enhancement of human and technological capacity would promote a sustainable and integrated development in local communities.

While calling on mining companies to mainstream Corporate Social Responsibility in local development plans, Messie said this would assist in promotion and respect of human rights in all mineral development activities.

He urged participants to carefully consider amendments both in substance and form to the entire draft mining document as presented and build consensus on the articles contained in the texts.

Mr Augustine Niber, Centre for Public Interest Law, stressed the need to promote human rights, transparency, social equity and provide protection for local communities and the
environment in mining areas.

He also called for adherence to high standards of accountability and transparency for mining companies and government agencies, to reduce corruption and promote global best practices.

“There is the need to provide incentives for investors and protect the revenue base and country resources.

“We must improve transparency in mineral policy formulation and implementation processes in mining within the sub region.”

Already adopted is an ECOWAS Mineral Development Policy and its implementation, which outlines some major activities to be undertaken by the Commission and Member States to develop the mineral sector in the region. (NAN)
TAK/VOE/AFA
============
Edited by Vivian Emoni/Felix Ajide

Economy

Financial expert urges NASS to pass Nigeria Mining Commission Bill

Financial expert urges NASS to pass Nigeria Mining Commission Bill

By Mustapha Sumaila
Mining
Abuja, Dec. 9, 2018 (NAN) A financial expert, Mr Tony Edeh, has urged the National Assembly to pass the bill establishing Nigeria Mining Commission into law to facilitate the diversification of economy, driven by the present administration.

Edeh, the Managing Director of Norrenberger Financial Group, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

Norrenberger is an Integrated Financial Services Group that operates a customer-focused business model, offering clients a comprehensive range of financial products and services.

This includes Funds and Investment Management, Structured and Alternative Finance, SME Funding, Foreign Exchange and Business Advisory Services.

He explained that the bill had been in the National Assembly awaiting passage and when it was passed into law; and the commission was in place, the revenue from the mining sector would be boosted.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration should put forth its political might to ensure that the bill was passed into law.

The expert also advised the Federal government to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with state governments where these minerals were deposited to jointly explore while royalty would be paid to the central government.

He added that the state governments would also be realising their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the sale of these natural resources.

According to him, host communities must be carried along too to avoid being neglected.

Edeh enjoined Federal Government to encourage local Miners to form cooperative societies that would give them legal backing to engage more in the business.

He lauded the present government’s effort for its anchor borrower scheme, saying that it had employed more youths in farming and other entrepreneurial activities.

“Rice mills are springing up as a result of incentives from government. This has encouraged more people to go into rice farming specifically.

“The present government has also supported initiatives in the ICT by giving out small credit facilities to best ICT solution based application to expand their businesses,” he noted.

The expert explained that the Nigerian economy could be classified broadly into the oil and non-oil sectors.

According to him, growth in the second quarter in 2018 was driven by developments in the non-oil sector as service sector recorded its strongest positive growth since 2016.

He said that the non-oil sector grew by 2.05 per cent in real terms during the quarter in review, mainly driven by Information and communication services, construction, agriculture, transportation, storage and other services.

“It is clear that no economy grows while depending on a single source of income, different sectors of the economy are expected to contribute to the overall GDP of a country before a meaningful growth can be achieved.

“Nigeria has depended on oil for too long and it is time to begin to look at other sectors of the economy that needs to be developed in order to earn more money and expand the economy,” he said. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola