The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, on Wednesday, expressed readiness to partner with the Benue State government to promote solid minerals development and non-oil exports.
The Trade Advisor/Head, NEPC, Makurdi Export Assistance Office in charge of Benue and Nasarawa States, Ben Anani-Egon stated this during his courtesy visit and presentation of product map to the state commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Bernard Unenge in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
Anani-Egon maintained that the primary objective of the survey and mapping exercise was to identify mining and solid minerals deposits in Benue and Nasarawa States adding that with the result of the exercise, a product map was drawn for agro commodity and solid minerals clusters for Benue State.
He explained that the Makurdi export office had further carried out series of export training programmes via seminars and workshop for registered exporters and relevant stakeholders to improve on business efficiency in the state, having identified several mineral resources in the state.
“I’m happy to inform you that we have developed and carried out master class export training programmmes for Mines and Solid Minerals development capacity building. We have also carried Programmes for the development of solid minerals value-chain for export in Benue state in collaboration with the Benue state chambers of commerce, industries mines and agriculture”, Anani-Egon stressed.
He said the objective of the programme was to build the capacity of artisan miners and other processors through competence improvement of mining value-chains, thereby integrating artisanal miners into global export markets.
In his remark, the state commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Bernard Unenge, described the visit as timely, saying NEPC came at a time that the state government is seeking for partnership with relevant agencies and stakeholders to strengthen economic and industrial development of the state.
Mr. Unenger who noted that the programme is in line with the economic blueprint of Ortom’s administration, “our Benue our collective vision,” assured that government will take every necessary step to collaborate with NEPC to ensure solid mineral development in the state.
