The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged solid mineral exporters in Plateau to adopt more innovative ways to boost the sector and enhance export in the state.
The Executive Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, made the call on Friday in Jos during a One-Day Strategic Enlightenment programme tagged “Export Procedures, Documentation for Solid Mineral Exporters in Nigeria” organised by the council.
Represented by Mr Samson Idowu, the Director of Solid Minerals, NEPC, Ayeni urged the exporters to join hands with the council to devise innovative ways of boosting export in the state.
Ayeni, who noted the untapped wealth of mineral deposits lying fallow with some in the custody of illegal miners, said that there was need for exporters in the state to step up their game by collaborating with NEPC to maximise the potential in the business.
“Plateau, endowed with rich mineral resources, stands as a beacon of opportunity in our nation’s journey towards economic diversification and sustainable development.
“There is no gainsaying that the solid mineral resources play a crucial role in driving economic growth of every nation, creating employment opportunities and enhancing export competitiveness.
“Plateau is blessed with an abundance of solid minerals resources ranging from Zinc, tin, lead, lithium, ore, gold, topaz and so many others which have the potential to contribute significantly to the state’s economic growth and the nation at large.
“However, these potential remain largely untapped, hindered by a myriad of challenges ranging from inadequate infrastructure to regulatory bottlenecks; yet, in the face of these challenges lies an opportunity for us to come together to innovate and to forge a path toward a brighter future.
“I, therefore, call on all stakeholders, government bodies, private enterprises, local communities and development partners to join hands in realizing the full potential of Plateau’s solid mineral sector,” she said.
Ayeni said that to achieve growth in the sector, infrastructural development, capacity building, regulatory reforms, market access among others must be given adequate attention.
Earlier in his address, the Plateau Commissioner for Commerce, Mr Musa Sule, urged stakeholders in the sector to abide by the laid down principles of the craft and ensure they were operating legally.
He emphasised the need for due process so as to achieve the overall development of the state which could only be done through their prompt payment of taxes.
On his part, Mr Samson Idowu, who led the training session on procedures and documentation among others, highlighted the importance of commercial quality shipping and transaction documents to ease of export.
Similarly, Mr Ben Anani, the Zonal Coordinator of NEPC, said that the major challenge he observed with producers of both cash crops and solid minerals in the state was the over-reliance on merchants or middlemen which did not yield much for them.
He urged the producers to go beyond just producing the commodities but to seek means of exporting for themselves. (NAN)
