NEPC Deputy Director of Solid Minerals, Mrs Ngozi Ibe addressing stakeholders during the capacity building programme in Jos. PHOTO Credit: NAN PHOTO
Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has charged stakeholders of the solid mineral sector in Plateau on boosting its sectors value chain for export competitiveness.
The Council gave the charge on Tuesday in Jos during its capacity building programme on developing and enhancing solid minerals value chain for export competitiveness in the state.
The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Solid Minerals, Mrs Ngozi Ibe, reiterated on the need to boost the value chain of the sector so as to achieve maximum benefit for all parties involved and the country.
She noted that though some states are yet to identify and develop the deposits of solid minerals within their borders, NEPC has however introduced the one-state-one product which would further boost the sectors performance.
“I wish to reiterate that every state of the Country has minerals deposits present on their soil, which have huge potentials for economic growth and development.
“Though largely unharnessed, predominantly in rural areas where artisanal mining activities are sources of livelihood and economic activities.
“However, the sector’s informal actions and lack of standardization, formalisation, and other factors, have led to numerous challenges, including environmental degradation, safety risks and revenue losses.
“We must prioritize value addition across solid minerals value chain, not only to increase export earnings but also to create jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians” she said.
Ayeni noted that NEPC is always committed to support stakeholders of the sector in boosting their craft through export capacity building, market access and leveraging on technology and innovation among other means to boost the sector.
Similarly, the North-Central Coordinator of NEPC, Mrs Julie Onmoke, who noted that though Plateau is a solid mineral rich state, a lot of informal exports is taking place to the detriment of the development of the sector.
She maintained that with such sensitization platforms offered by the NEPC, such challenges can be harnessed and better results produced from the solid mineral sector.
“Plateau is a base for solid mineral, No doubt, but a lot of informal exports is taking place, and often we receive the pre-shipment inspection Agencies reports(PIA) showing that very few companies are formally exporting these solid minerals.
“Considering the number of miners we have on the plateau, we expected that we will have more of them on that list, but very few make the list, this means that a lot of informal export is taking place, and we want to capture this data as much as possible.
“We are also here to encourage the stakeholders to avoid raw exports without any value addition, when value is added to a product, the market price also increases, thereby increasing what comes to them also and to the country.
“It therefore puts the country in a better Limelight, showing that we are advancing, not just exporting raw form of products” she said.
Some participants present at the event commended NEPC for organizing the programme noting that it is timely for the prompt intervention of the sector so as to avoid unnecessary revenue losses for all parties Involved.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some stakeholders present at the event included the State’s Ministry of Commerce, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Bank of Industry(BON) Nigerian Geological Survey Agency(NGSA) among others(NAN)
