Expert bemoans govt intervention in mining sector

From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

Director General/ Chief Executive Officer, Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), Engr. Mohammed Amate in Kaduna on Tuesday highlighted interference from state governments as number one major drawback of the mining sub-sector in Nigeria.
The mining expert said, the state governments are doing that in their quest to increase internally generated revenue by way of multiple taxation which had overtime, discouraged investors in mining.
Presenting the overview of MCO at the opening of a 3-day 2nd meeting of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) holding in Kaduna the DG added that, mining operators’ failure to report accurate production and export figure was also not helping.
“Interference from states governments arising from the need to increase IGR, mining operators failure to report accurate production and export figures, challenges of funding leading to poor exploration activities by mineral tittle holders and dearth of local competent are the major drawback of the mining sub-sector”, he said.
In his message to the participants, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Abdulkadir Mu’azu said, the meeting was envisaged as a yearly institutionalised event to provide an avenue for key stakeholders to meet, brainstorm, strategize and initiate the formulation of desired policies aimed at proffering solutions to the challenges facing the mining, minerals and steel sector.