Constitute COMEG Now, Mining Engineers Urge FG
The Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency inaugurate its regulatory body COMEG for the development of the profession in Nigeria.
The President of the group, Dr. Ebenezer Damiso made the call while addressing journalists at Press Centre, Kaduna.
COMEG was established through Act No, 40 of 1990 and was inaugurated on 12th September, 2000.
It’s regulatory responsibilities are targeted at the extractive industries, which undoubtedly constitute the backbone of the nation’s economy.
According the President of Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers Dr. Ebenezer Damiso the COMEG Board was dissolved at the inception of this Administration and up till today it has not been reconstituted.
” We are concerned that a regulatory and monitoring body of the mining sector has been left in a state of lethargy for over two years now. some mining firms who would have been operating in the sector have been hampered and some members who
” It is very disheartening that such an Important body that regulates professionals and firms in the Nigerian mining sector has not had its Board inaugurated since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration” he explained” he said.
“Some of the objectives of NSME as enshrined in our Constitution are:
to bring together all the Mining and Mineral Processing Engineers in Nigeria as members of the Society, to advance the science and practice of engineering in the fields of mining and mineral processing, and to present to Government the views of the Society on any legislative enactment or proposed legislation or any other subject(s) of concern or interest to the Society in Nigeria” he explained.
Dr. Ebenety Damiso attributed the major reason for the under-performance in recent times to governance issue, which has a major obstacle to the optimal development of our sold mineral assets.
“Many of our state governments have not given the much desired cooperation to the Federal authorities in the area of investment”. he lamented’ he said.
He urged the Federal Government to consider the issues so that the Nigerian mining industry can play the roles expected of it especially in the diversification of the Nigerian economy and providing employment opportunities for our youths.
He is optimistic that all issues militating against the operationalisation of Nigerian industrialisation entities are not beyond President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to resolve.
We urge the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to do everything it can, to put into operation the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, as this will bring about rapid industrialization in the country and many mines will come on stream to provide mineral raw materials such as iron ore, coking coal,dolomite,magnesite, limestone as feedstock to the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.
“The steel sector cannot succeed without a viable mining sector. With regard to employment, a one million tonne per year steel plant in a country like Nigeria would need to forge the specialized and not so specialized skills and knowledge of not less than 10,000 workforce. Surely, this is a big incentive to make the Ajaokuta Steel plant functional” he said.
The Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists “COMEG’ has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency inaugurate its regulatory body for the development all profession in Nigeria.
The President of Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers Dr. Ebenezer Damiso made the call while addressing journalists at Press
Centre, Kaduna.
COMEG was established through Act No, 40 of 1990 and was inaugurated on 12th September, 2000.
It’s regulatory responsibilities are targeted at the extractive industries, which undoubtedly constitute the backbone of the nation’s economy.
According the President of Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers Dr. Ebenezer Damiso said the COMEG Board was dissolved at the inception of this Administration and up till today it has not been
reconstituted.
We are concerned that a regulatory and monitoring body of the mining sector has been left in a state of lethargy for over two years now. some mining firms who would have been operating in the sector have been hampered and some members who
” It is very disheartening that such an Important body that regulates professionals and firms in the Nigerian mining sector has not had its Board inaugurated since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration” he explained. Some of the objectives of NSME as enshrined in our Constitution are: to bring together all the Mining and Mineral Processing Engineers in Nigeria as members of the Society, to advance the science and practice of engineering in the fields of mining and mineral processing, and to present to Government the views of the Society on any legislative enactment or proposed legislation or any other subject(s) of concern or interest to the Society in Nigeria.
Dr. Ebenety Damiso attributed the major reason for the under-performance in recent times to governance issue, which has a major obstacle to the optimal development of our sold mineral assets.
“Many of our state governments have not given the much desired cooperation to the Federal authorities in the area of investment”. he lamented.
He urged the Federal Government to consider the issues so that the Nigerian mining industry can play the roles expected of it especially in the diversification of the Nigerian economy and providing employment opportunities for our youths.
He is optimistic that all issues militating against the operationalisation of Nigerian industrialisation entities are not beyond President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to resolve.
We urge the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to do everything it can, to put into operation the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, as this will bring about rapid industrialization in the country and many mines will come on stream to provide mineral raw materials such as iron ore, coking coal,dolomite,magnesite, limestone as feedstock to the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.
“The steel sector cannot succeed without a viable mining sector. With regard to employment, a one million tonne per year steel plant in a country like Nigeria would need to forge the specialized and not so specialized skills and knowledge of not less than 10,000 workforce. Surely, this is a big incentive to make the Ajaokuta Steel plant functional” he said.
