By Hassan Zaggi
Thirty Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have commended the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake and the Director General of Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, for the rapid progress recorded in the solid mineral sector in the past few months of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government.
The groups made their position known in a joint statement signed by the Executive Director, GOPRI Amb. Melvin Ejeh,; National Co-ordinator, Center For Justice and Good Governance in Africa, Dr Ibrahim Khalifa; Executive Director, Conference of North West Professionals Network (CONOWP), Engr. Bashir Dan Zaria; National Co-ordinator, Community Action for Development (CAD), Dr Mrs Remi Edun, and National Women Empowerment Network.(NAWOEN), Dr Mrs Ngozi Amechi, respectively, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The duo, according to the groups, are driving President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the mining sector, hence, giving Nigerians hope of a new beginning in the country.
The 30 groups are headed by Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), a leading peace and good governance advocacy organization in Africa.
While commending the Minister for turning the tide with ongoing reforms of the mining sector, the Coalition insisted that Nigeria, blessed with abundant mineral resources, has no reason to be dependent on dwindling oil revenue
The organisations expressed happiness that the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office has been fully digitalized and reformed under the current Director General, noting that with the development, it can favourably compete anywhere in the world.
To this effect, the groups passed a vote of confidence on the minister and the Director General of NCO.
The groups, however, alerted of a clandestine plan by some group of persons displaced by the administration for engaging in illicit activities in the sector.
They, therefore, advised the government and Nigerians to be on the lookout for any campaign of calumny against the agency and its leadership.
The groups disclosed that the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office recorded a cumulative 86 percent increase in revenue generation, raking in N9.3 billion between 2019 and 202l under Nkom as compared to N4.8 billion generated in the corresponding period of between 2016 and 2018.
“Under the leadership of Engr. Nkom in the past four years, the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office recorded 86 per cent increase in revenue generation, raking in over N8.9 billion between 2019 and 2021 compared to N4.8 billion generated in the corresponding period of 2016 – 2018.
“This also accounts for about 50 per cent of the contribution of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to the economy,” the statement quoted Buhari as saying.
The groups, therefore, said: “Given our independent assessment of developments in the mining sector of the country, we have passed a vote of confidence on the Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake and the Director General of Nigeria Cadastre Office, Engr Obadiah Nkom for their sterling leadership qualities in driving Mr president’s Renewed Hope agenda on the mining sector and diversification of the nation’s revenue from the oil sector to non oil.
“Our position is premised on the elaborate and independent assessment carried out in the Ministry and the Mining Cadastre Office in Abuja in line with our civil society engagement and accountability programmes for public office holders and agencies,” the statement said.
