The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has began discussions with the Solid Minerals Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (SOMMEDI) an agency under NASENI on possibilities for partnership in harnessing the potentials of vast Minerals deposits in the region.
This follows the visit of a team from SOMMEDI led by its Managing
Director Prof. Barnabas Ikyo Achakpa to the headquarters of the Commission in
Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Received by NCDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Cyril
Yiltsen Tsenyil, Prof. Ikyo explained that they were at the Commission to
present a proposal on a partnership that will see the SOMMEDI and NCDC working
together develop the solid minerals sector in the region through adequate data
generation, enhancement and value addition, training and capacity development,
mineral processing and machinery development as well as revenue generation in
line with the provisions of the NCDC Establishment Act.
He said the partnership will enable NCDC fulfil one of its major mandate
of generating employment opportunities for the youths through attracting more
investment into formal and industrial mining which will help address artesenal
mining often associated with some negative challenges.
Responding, MD/CEO NCDC Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil welcomed the visit and
said the proposed partnership when fully developed and activated could assist
the Commission harness the solid minerals sector as a driver of development to
the region and nation at large.
He said the NCDC Act provides for the Commission to draw a 3% revenue
from solid minerals companies operating the region which makes it imperative
for strategic actions that will help build the sector and attract more
investment for economic prosperity.
Dr. Tsenyil said SOMMEDI can help build the SME market in solid minerals
within the North Central by developing machinery which helps small scale and
large miners to extract, add value and process products.
In separate contributions, Executive Directors Industrial and Commercial
Hajiya Aisha Rufai Ibrahim, Corporate Services James Abel Uloko, Finance Prof.
Muhammad Bashar Nuhu and Administration and Human Resources Hajiya Bilqis
Jumoke Sani agreed that the proposed partnership is promising and should be
accorded maximum attention to consummate.
.jfif)
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!