By Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) has urged the federal government to speed up the revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd and Aluminium Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), as well as revive several moribund steel plants scattered across the country.
NCMMRD also urged the government to, as a matter of urgency, compile a nationwide inventory of miners, active mining sites, processing companies, personnel and machinery in order to create an all-encompassing data bank to be used in advising potential investors and for investment planning.
The body, in a communique issue in Abuja weekend, directed the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to start forwarding the list of licence holders in every state of the federation to their respective state governments on quarterly basis for proper documentation.
According to the communiqué, the meeting, which did a comprehensive review of the mining sector, agreed that some major steps must be taken in order to increase the current growth being experienced in the sector.
The meeting also agreed that there must be synergy between the federal, states and local governments to ensure that the country takes full advantage of its vast mineral deposits.
Details later…
