The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has commenced discussions with the Solid Minerals Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (SOMMEDI) an agency under NASENI towards harnessing the potentials of vast minerals deposits in the geopolitical zone of the country.
This followed the visit of a team from SOMMEDI led by its Managing Director Prof. Barnabas Ikyo Achakpa to the headquarters of the Commission in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The team which was received by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said they were at the Commission to present a proposal on a partnership that will see the SOMMEDI and NCDC working together to develop the solid minerals sector in the region. Prof Achakpa explained that the partnership can be achieved through adequate data generation, enhancement and value addition, training and capacity development, mineral processing and machinery development as well as revenue generation in line with the provisions of the NCDC Establishment Act.
He also said the partnership will enable NCDC fulfil one of its major mandate of generating employment opportunities for the youths through attracting more investment into formal and industrial mining which will help address artesenal mining often associated with some negative challenges.
Responding, Dr. Tsenyil said the proposed partnership when fully developed and activated could assist the Commission harness the solid minerals sector as a driver of development to the region and nation at large.
Tsenyil noted that the NCDC Act provides for the Commission to draw a 3% revenue from solid minerals companies operating within the region, thus makes it imperative for strategic actions that will help build the sector and attract more investment for economic prosperity.
The NCDC Chief Executive said SOMMEDI can help build the SME market in solid minerals within the North Central by developing machinery which helps small scale and large miners to extract, add value and process products.
Speaking in turn, the Executive Directors Industrial and Commercial Hajiya Aisha Rufai Ibrahim, Corporate Services James Abel Uloko, Finance Prof. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu and Administration and Human Resources Hajiya Bilqis Jumoke Sani, agreed that the proposed partnership is promising and should be accorded maximum attention to consummate.
A statement by Dr. Makut Simon Macham, Head, Media and Corporate Communications, NCDC, stated that more discussions are expected to be held.
