Last week, the Nigerian mining sector was strengthened with a handful of professionals who were certified as fit-for-practice having met the requirements of the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists COMEG. FRANCIS ADINOYI KADIRI writes that the professionals agree that the strengthening of professionalism in the mining sector will not only develop the sector as a dependable revenue earner, but will also create new jobs while eliminating susbstandard service delivery in the sector
Untill recently, not many people belived that the Nigerian solid minerals sector weilds enormous potentials to turn around the economic fortunes of the country especially revenue generation and large scale job-creation. However, following the sector’s rejuvenation and the activation of its institutions as well as the founding of new ones, the solid mineral sector has come to earn the much needed confidence of the sector.
According to Chairman of the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientsists COMEG, the highest regulatory body in the Nigerian solid minerals, Chief Chambers Oyibo who spoke at the eighth induction ceremony of the Council in Abuja, “COMEG was established by Act No. 40 of 1990, to register, regulate and control the training and practices of professionals in the Nigerian extractive industry,” adding that the activities of the professionals generate bulk of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings which largely sustains the economic activity of the country.
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According to him, professionals in the category include geoscientists, metallurgists, mining engineers, mineral processing engineers, petroleum engineers and others in related fields.
It is in fulfiulment of the objectives that COMEG last week inducted 210 individual professionals and 15 institutional members thereby upscaling COMEG’s membership to 2,223 Individuals and 84 institutional members.
While saying thaty the 8th induction ceremony is the third of such ceremonies since the inauguration of the present Council, the Chairman said Council has also granted provisional approval to fifty-one applicants but will not be inducted with the firt group because of outstanding registration requirements which he said “must be met by the applicants before they are given full registration status.”
Oyibo attributed the consistent success recorded by COMEG to “the dynamic policy framework and regulations put in place by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada, where mineral title holders and professionals operating in the mining and quarry industry must show evidence of COMEG registration before applications of titles and explosive licences are granted,” he said, adding that the policy directive has greatly compelled professionals and their employers to register with COMEG.
According to Oyibo, Council has over the past years made efforts to ensure the sustenance of professionalism in the Nigerian Extractive industry in accordance with world’s best standards.
Enumerating recent efforts made by COMEG to strenthen the profession and the practice, Oyibo said upgrading of COMEG website and database management system to include online registration and payment, data migration and conversion of files from hard to electronic copies and issuance of practicing licenses directly through individual member’s email address.
Speaking further, he said Council organized a one day pre-accreditation workshop to develop Guidelines for Assessment Template and Summary of Scores which will be used for future COMEG accreditation exercises.
“Upgrading of The Gem Magazine into a technical journal with the maiden edition to be published in 2015.
“Renewed membership and revenue drive exercises were undertaken with the objective of sensitizing prospective members to make their professional practices lawful.
According to him, efforts were also made to reach out to Vice-chancellors of tertiary institutions in the country to ensure that only COMEG registered members are employed in geosciences and Mining Engineering Departments, adding that COMEG has also concluded arrangements in conjunction with Geoprobe Limited to conduct a three day Professional Development Hands-on Training Workshop on the preparation of Bankable Mining Feasibility Study Report which is scheduled to commence on 2nd December.
“Council has introduced the issuance of practicing licenses to only duly registered and financially up to date members which will be renewed annually.
“COMEG has also recorded tremendous success in mobilizing corporate bodies operating in the Nigerian extractive industry to register as institutional members; whereby fifteen companies including Julius Berger Nigeria Limited werea inducted, stating that it is Council’s hope that most companies operating in the oil and gas sector will follow suit. This he said will do much to ensure standard service delivery in the sector.
The Chairman further disclosed thatthrough the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), COMEG has been able to reach out to professionals operating in the oil and gas industry urging them to register in order to make their professional practices lawful. I am elated in this regards to mention here that some companies have responded positively and in 2014 the following companies forwarded bulk applications of their staff for registration totaling 150 applications. He asid some of the applications have been approved and the applicants were being inducted while others have not scaled through due to outstanding registration requirements.
“In our quest to protect and preserve the jobs of our registered professionals, Council has made efforts to reach out to State Civil Service Commissions to ensure that geoscientists in their employment are properly placed on appropriate grade levels at entry points and are promoted to the next grade level provided they present evidence of COMEG registration.
Oyibo further said that the long awaited proposed professional scale of fees has been submitted by Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), which he said will be forwarded to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development for approval by government. “If approved, our professional colleagues will be able to charge approved fees for contract and consulting services for both private and public sectors,” he said.
The Chairman further disclosed that Council has also seen the need to provide internship training programmes for young geoscientists and mining engineers especially in the mining and quarrying industry in order to build capacity and skills for the nation, he said, urging the minister to support the proposed project.
“Council has continued to face challenges which will require immediate attention by all stakeholders if COMEG is ever going to live up to its mandate to become the foremost regulator in the Nigerian Extractive Industry,” he said, craving the continous support of government and the cooperation of members through dustibguesed service delivery and dedication to the objectives for which COMEG was founded.