ABUJA – The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sanda, has urged Federal Mines Officers (MFOs) to study and understand the environment under which they operate.
This is to ensure effective supervision and proper mining activities in the country.
Sanda gave the advice on Thursday during the Interactive Stakeholders’ Meeting of Mining Cadastre Office, Mining Inspectorate and Technical Departments of the ministry in Abuja.
The theme of the meeting is, “Strengthening the Existing Synergy between Mining Cadastre Office and the Technical Departments”.
This is to enhance mineral title administration and effective regulation of the mining industry operation in the country.
According to Sanda, FMOs must understand the working of an environment, identify the land owners and ensure that the title is issued to competent miners. He said the officers must also know the number of mining sites in their locations as well as the number of licensed miners, to check illegal mining activities. [eap_ad_1] The minister said that training of mining inspectors should be encouraged to ensure adequate and effective filing of progress report of mining activities.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Dauda Kigbu, called on the technical departments and agencies of the ministry to synergise to enhance their complementary and collaboration.
He said when tenaciously sustained, such cooperation would facilitate timely renewals of titles and pave way for free flow of information between Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) and technical departments of the ministry.
He added that it would help the sector meet the set targets on revenue generation and collection, and assist assessing the performance and relevance of mining sector to the economy.
Kigbu further urged the stakeholders to explore the opportunity provided by the meeting to further strengthen the existing relationship and establish better form of interaction with a view to moving the sector forward.
He emphasised the need for the general public to understand the processes and procedures for the granting, issuance and renewal of mining titles and proper use of different mineral titles. The Director-General, Mining Cadastre Office, Mr Muhammed Amate, said the meeting was to discuss issues affecting operations and implementation of the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007. Amate added that it was to look at the impediments to the realisation of the Vision 20:2020 in the solid minerals and the mining sector in the country. (NAN)
[eap_ad_1]
