Solid Minerals
CSR-in-Action partners NEITI for the 4th edition of SITEI Conference
Joseph BAMIDELE
LAGOS-THE 4th edition of the Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) Conference, an annual workshop established and organised by CSR-in-Action, to bring together key stakeholders to discuss critical issues in the industries while stimulating meaningful exchange of ideas and best practices among key stakeholder groups and industry experts, is scheduled to take place on the 19th of November, 2015, in Abuja.
This year the SITEI Conference is themed, “Unlocking the Hidden Potential in the Extractive Industries”. Abuja became the destination of choice driven by the vision to encourage government participation in economic sustainability in Nigeria. While the private sector and civil society have typically been strong participants in previous conference, the general national vibe of change and policy reform in the air has birthed a renewed and mutually reciprocated interest in pursuing focused government participation.
Attendance at this 4th edition of SITEI will see government personnel, business leaders, change enthusiasts and innovators from all works of life attend. This year, SITEI seeks to renew political commitment to sustainable development while discussing structural modifications within political institutions in relation to development, investment and local participation in the Nigerian extractive industries.
With Break-out sessions and capacity building focused on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures, Investment and Local Content Participation Policies for Oil and Gas and Mining and Investment Policies and Financing Options for Green Energy in Nigeria, there will no doubt be a thorough sharing of insightful and profitable ideas.
The very well received 3rd SITEI conference addressed nagging issues that have threatened to stagnate the local content drive, such as quality of local content players – vendors, contractors and business men who could play more active and dominant roles in the extractive industries. The conference featured workshops with a potpourri of sustainable solutions provided to enforce the key objectives.
Speaking regarding the conference this year, Bekeme Masade, Executive Director, CSR-in-Action said, “There has been an over dependence on procurement on oil and oil wells by local and international business, whereas our nation is blessed with a plethora of other high potential mineral resources which can be sources of tremendous revenue to the nation. Beyond that, there are manufacturing and industry potential; in the production of nuts and bolts, machinery and other paraphernalia needed for efficient production. The government and private sector need to have a fuller appreciation for the depth of progress that responsible public-private partnership can yield for the nation, and SITEI intends to make that progress a reality. ”
This year’s SITEI conference will also access progress on the country’s commitments/frameworks to sustainable development, looking into gaps that have been over looked in the progress, and evaluate the success of outcomes of these frameworks.
CSR-in-Action has successfully executed this conference on three previous occasions (starting 2012, in partnership with the Deputy High Commission of Canada) and our reputation for integrity and professionalism has attracted key persons from within Nigeria and beyond, as well as endorsements and partnerships with reputable bodies such as the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), and this year, we will be working in partnership with the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and Price Water Cooper (PwC).
Some of the expected speakers this year include: Prof Yemi Osinbajo (Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria); Nasir el-Rufai (Executive Governor, Kaduna State), Mrs Zainab Ahmed (Executive Secretary, NEITI), Ingo Herbert (Consul General, Germany); Mutiu Sunmonu (Immediate Past Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria); Neff Clay (CEO, Chevron); Lara Banjoko (CEO, Zone 4 Energy Limited); Omamofe Boyo (Deputy Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc); Prof Stephen Vertigans (Robert Gordon University); Prof Ikenna Onyido (University of Nigeria, Nsukka) and Prof Wale Omole (Chairman, CSR-in-Action/Chairman, Editorial Board, Guardian).
There will also be discussions aimed at cleaner energy production as a discourse for long term planning and diversification, in line with global sustainable development.
The Nigerian Government has threatened to come down heavily on foreigners sponsoring bandictory as a way of sustaining illegal mining activities in parts of the country.
The warning was handed down in Abuja by Minister, Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines led by its National President, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala.
Details of these were contained in a statement released by Head, Press & PR, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Alaba Balogun over the weekend.
The statement cited, Dr Alake, thus, “The government will come down firmly on these unscrupulous foreign operators sponsoring banditry to perpetrate illegal mining: let me use this medium to appeal through you to tell those sponsors to desist or face the full wrath of the law.”
According to Dr Alake, the Ministry is committed to establishing a multi-agency task force that will end the activities of illegal miners and their collaborators.
The Minster made it clear that the FG had given illegal miners a 30-day-ultimatum to legitimise their businesses, quit Nigeria or incur the wrath of the law.
According to him, this will help “to streamline and structure the Small-Scale Artisanal Miners for maximum yield to the Federal Government.”
The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Minsiter at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
Amidst heightening uncertainties in the domestic petroleum products market characterised by scarcity and irregular pricing, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has declared that there’s no intention to review pump prices upwards.
This was contained in an advisory issued by General Manager, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Kimchi Apollo.
He stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) had imported PMS with current stock levels sufficient for 34 days.
In an attempt to address panic buying and speculations which have seen price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) oscillate between N180-N250 in the Lagos area, Apollo assured that there was enough quantity of the product in the country already.
He said, “Consequently, marketers and the general public are advised to avoid panic buying, diversion of products and hoarding.
“In keeping with the Authority’s responsibilities as outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Authority assures the public that it would continue to monitor the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide, especially during this holiday season.”
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) says it is verifying and reconciling revenue collections in the Solid Minerals Sector of the economy.
The Federal Commissioner, RMAFC, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, stated this at a strategic meeting on the commission’s 2022 nationwide monitoring of revenue collections of the Nigerian mining sector in Akure on Monday at the state Ministry of Finance Conference Hall.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Banjo Egunjobi, the Head of Media Unit of the ministry.
Read also>>>Darkness Envelopes Nigeria as National Grid Collapses For 7th time in 2022
Ajasin said 25 enterprises exported minerals in 2019 with no record of royalty payment, while about N2.76 billion outstanding liabilities had been established against 2,119 mining companies nationwide.
He said that this arose from failure to pay the Annual Service Fees for their company titles.
According to the Federal Commissioner, the Commission is empowered to monitor all revenue accruals from the extractive industries to ensure prompt and accurate remittances to the Federation Accounts.
He added that the monitoring was a follow-up on the 2016 exercise to assess the challenges hindering optimum revenue collection from the sector.
Ajasin said the monitoring comprised revenue collections and the activities of miners in the state.
According to him, the major issues of concern to the Commission is the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparent Initiative NEITI 2020 report.
He added that the number of defaulting companies would be determined after engagements.
“There is also the issue of underpayment of royalty by 25 enterprises that exported minerals in 2019 with no record of royalty payments.
“These companies owe the government about N482 million in overdue royalty.
He said the 2,119 mining companies’ default nationwide arose from the failure to pay the annual service fees for their respective mineral titles.
Ajasin also said the Commission’s mandate in the extractive sector was to recover the established liabilities owed to the Federation Account.
He, therefore, urged participants to explore the opportunities in the state to harness the revenue potential in the Solid Minerals sector to boost Internally Generated Revenue.
The State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, stated that the process of allocating the 13 per cent derivation on crude oil paid to the states across the federation depended on the effective monitoring of revenue and the collection of established liabilities from mineral resources.
Akinterinwa noted that the cooperation given by the state Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources and others to enforce payment of the reported liabilities would assist in fulfilling the objectives of the exercise and a means of engaging some Strategic Revenue Drive for the state.
The commissioner said the present administration of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu would do everything at its disposal to facilitate the collection of revenue as listed in the NEITI Audit Report 2022.
He, therefore, urged stakeholders to accord full cooperation to the RMAFC team and be committed to achieving the desired goal.
Also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Rev. Jide Ekpobomini, said sourcing for a quick alternative to all income was necessary and could not be overemphasised.
He said government revenue inflows would surely be boosted if the sector was vigorously harnessed.
Also his counterpart from Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources, Mr Wemimo Ogunsanmi, said the state government had initiated a strategic mineral development plan to exploit the solid minerals sector, hence the establishment of the ministry.
Tinubu Approves Commencement Of Consumer Credit Scheme
JUST IN: Keyamo Orders Suspension Of Dana Airlines
MultiChoice Announces Price Surge For DStv, GOtv Packages
37 APC Chairmen Pass Vote Of Confidence On Ganduje
Nollywood Mourns Again As Veteran Actor, Zulu Adigwe Passes Away
Adeleke Commends First Lady’s Passion For Public Service
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
Adeosun: We are investing in infrastructure to grow the private sector
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Shell launches Nigeria campaign on energy efficiency
