Mineral resources in Cross River are creating opportunities for development under Governor Otu – Commissioner

Résumé détaillé

Ntufam Effiom Ekaha Otu is the Commissioner for Mineral Resources in Cross River State. He spoke about the opportunities created ...

Ntufam Effiom Ekaha Otu is the Commissioner for Mineral Resources in Cross River State. He spoke about the opportunities created in the state through the diverse mineral resources existing in the state. In this interview, he commended the efforts of Governor Bassey Edet Otu in attracting foreign investors into the state since he assumed office. BLESSING ADIMABUA brings the excerpts:

So far, how has it been since you assumed office as the Commissioner for Solid Minerals in Cross River State?

Well, by the grace of God, it has been challenging, knowing full well that this sector is actually not regulated by the state. There had been this rift between the Federal and the State Government before I came in, and when I came in, I decided to make sure that we have this seamless cooperation between the Federal Government and the State Government. In fact, it is this seamless act that an investor and a miner will not be able to differentiate between the federal agency and the state agency. You know that the state not regulating the sector has made it quite challenging, but don’t forget the fact that land belongs to us as a state.

What is the state of operations of those mineral deposits in Cross River State?

There are major concerns about poor relationships between the state government, the communities and the miners. How true is that?

What is the state government doing to enhance economic development with the massive mineral deposits that are abound in the state?

As I am talking to you now, we are in discussion with a Spanish company to get geotechnical surveys of all the minerals that we have in the state in order to inform and help an investor in decision making. Secondly, we have Iron Ore, Granite Barite and Lithium all in commercial quantity.

We are actually bringing in multinational investors and that was why the governor actually called for the profiling of these companies because no investor will come and work in a place that is cold tied.

Début de l'article, extrait de BusinessDay. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.