FG Looking into Gas Exploration, Solid Minerals

The Senate committee chairman on Solid Minerals Development, Osita Ngwu, has explained that the federal government (FG) is looking into gas and solid mineral exploration.

He said despite the challenges in the sector, the government was putting all the challenges together in a bid to look at legislative frameworks that would get the system working.

Ngwu said this on Monday, October 9, in Abuja during a familiarisation visit to the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO).

The Head, Press Unit of the agency, Folasade Fatoke, made this known in a press statement, adding that the committee chairman commended the MCO for its migration to the electronic mining cadastre in line with best practices.

She said the chairman added that the government was having a new direction from oil to solid minerals and that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was serious about developing the economy through the mineral sector.

Fatoke stated: “The Senate Committee Chairman on Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Osita Ngwu has commended the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) for its migration to electronic mining cadastre in line with best practices, saying that the government is having a new direction from oil to solid minerals and that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is serious in developing the economy through the mineral sector.

“The government is looking at gas exploration and solid minerals but we know the challenges of the solid mineral industry, putting all these challenges together, we are going to look at the legislative framework and get the system working.

“Engr. Ngwu stated this during his familiarisation visit recently to MCO. He commended the Director General, Engr. Nkom and his team for the continuous rise in its revenue profile since inception. He particularly acknowledged the legal and ICT units for “doing a good job” saying that very soon the agency will migrate to “plus plus.

“My visit here is to familiarise myself with the agency and not to ask questions because we are still studying what is going on and looking at the policy direction of the government because the government has to direct, ours is to support, oversight and put up a legislative framework to make sure that the government succeed”

“Nigeria is important to everybody we’re all going to work as a team together to make sure that the country moves forward.”

She further added: “The Senate committee chairman expressed the need for all to work together despite challenges facing the sector. He assured the full support of the Senate so as to make the desired progress in the sector.

“One thing for sure is that we are going to completely look at the system together such that we look at the challenges so one thing you can be assured is our support to make progress, if we don’t make progress the country doesn’t make progress”.

Fatoke also stated: “He pledged unfailing support of the National Assembly and partnership with the agency, adding that there will be meetings that we are all going to do that will require us to make contributions. The bottom line is for us to achieve the set objectives and support the government.

“The Director General of Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom in his earlier PowerPoint presentation said that the agency’s mandate is to grant mining licences across the country, adding that MCO is the only legal way to the mining industry.

“The DG explained that MCO is made up of multi–disciplinary professions, explaining that the technical department consists of the mining engineers, Geologists, and surveyors among others adding that major reforms like migrating to a web-based online (real-time mineral title administration system has led to investor’s confidence. He explained that organisation structure and establishment of full operational Zonal Offices in six geopolitical zones have also boosted efficiency.”