16 August 2016, Abuja — THE Federal Government has reduced the timeframe for the award of mining licenses in Nigeria, stating that henceforth, miners would get their licences within 40 days.
Director General, Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, Mr. Ibrahim Amate, who stated this Abuja, explained that the licenses would be issued to successful miners who meet the stipulated requirements, adding that all these is possible under the repositioned Mining Cadastral Office, MCO.
He said there is a new vigour at the agency to fast-track development in the solid minerals sector in line with the diversification move by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Amate also urged investors to be confident about the operations of the MCO, because it has the obligation to serve investors and achieve government’s objectives to develop the sector and following the dwindling revenue from the oil and gas sector, which can no longer sustain socio-economic lives of Nigerians.
He said: “Once you meet the requirements you can be rest assured to get your licence. Investors should have 100 percent confidence on the MCO. After you have submitted your application you don’t need to go to anybody, your application speaks for you.
“You can sit down in the comfort of your office and submit an application online, from any part of the world and within 30 or 40 days you will be notified whether you are granted or not. “We encourage investors to come to us anytime and our desk officers will promptly respond to them and they will believe more in the transparent manner we carry out our duties because there is no ‘shifting of goal post’ in MCO.”
