Niger Delta
Mining Sector Dev: C’River, RMAFC Partner Quarry Operators
In a bid to generate and monitor revenue to create jobs and wealth opportunities for the State and the nation, the Cross River State Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Abuja, recently held an interactive session with Heads of Quarry Operators, Cross River State Chapter of Nigerian Mining Association and Lafarge Africa at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Calabar.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Rt. Hon. George O’Ben-Etchi, while declaring the session open, commended members of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and quarry operators for their impressive turn out, stating that, it shows seriousness on their part.
He enjoined the quarry operators to co-operate with the ministry and RMAFC and take revenue mobilization and monitoring seriously as generated revenue not properly monitored leads to leakages and consequent shortfalls in revenue targets.
The Director, Fiscal and Coordinator, South-South Geographical Zone, RMAFC, Alhaji Adamu Baba Mohammed, said he was impressed by the operators and explained that as much as generating revenue for government is important, knowing the source of the revenue and ensuring that revenue records are entered and kept correctly is also important.
He urged the mining operators and association to speak out freely without reservation on their challenges or put up a letter to the Commission, promising that the Federal Government would certainly look into their plight and appealed that the State and association should maintain good communication relationship.
The Administrative Officer 1, RMAFC, Mr. Samson Olorunda, while explaining how the remittance forms are to be filled, said the Federal Government more than ever before had its pointer on the solid minerals sector as an alternative source of income for the nation and the data collected will be analyzed by the Commission to know whether Cross River State has met her target to decide if she is qualified to benefit from the 13 percent derivation accrued to mineral producing States.
A member of the Mining Association, Mr. Eshiet Ekanem, recalled that “the grounding of quarry companies in Cross River State started in 2012 with a directive from the Federal Government that due to insecurity, the purchase of blasting explosives should only be done at Abuja which is stressful and expensive.” He appealed that the matter be looked into and reviewed, and expressed appreciation to the Federal Mining Officer for taking out time to meet with companies that had folded up with a view to seeing how they can be revived, calling on government to look beyond revenue and develop the mining sector.
Responding, to the Director of Technical Operations, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Gabriel Akpeke said the federal law had a mandate for miners to pay some fees to the State despite the fact that some minerals said to be on the exclusive list of the Federal Government and added that the ministry was making efforts to see that the issue of multiple taxation is resolved permanently.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
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