…As MCO convenes retreat to strengthen eMC+
By Palma Ileye
Director General, Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, NMCO, Engr Obadiah Simon Nkom has said that the country was reaping the rewards of embracing the world class Electronic Mining Cadastre, eMC+, system as 40% of the total number of Applications for Mineral Title received from November 2022 to April 2023 were transmitted via the electronic portal of the Agency.
It could be recalled that the MCO launched the electronic mining cadastre system to the public in November last year.
In principle, the rise in the number of mineral applications indicates increase in the influx of investors. This rise, which is adjudged as ‘significant,’ is a result of improvements made by government in the ease-of-doing-business policy, especially the ability of the MCO to make it easy for prospective investors to effortlessly relate with the Agency.
Speaking yesterday to journalist in Abuja on gains of the eMC+ at a One-Day Review for Development, R4D, Retreat, organised by the MCO for its staff, Nkom explained that the theme of the Retreat: “Repositioning MCO Through Attitude Transformation for Improved Productivity,” was aimed to consolidate on achievements while setting higher goals.
He stated that the number of applications for mineral titles applications has witnessed increase since the launch of its new online technology tagged electronic Mining Cadastre system, eMC+, in November last year.
He noted that 40% of the applications received in his office since the online technology was introduced for real time management and administration of mineral titles were online.
The MCO boss said his team would continue to monitor the new technology following the migration to online system to see how many people have keyed into it, and it was discovered the number of online applicants was on the increase.
According to him, the whole essence of the retreat was to train the staff on how to handle the operations of the new technology effectively to take the management and administration of mineral titles to a higher level.
He said: “The essence of today, just like the theme captures it, is to reposition the entire mining cadastre to meet up with current challenges. We have a new system that all of you are witnesses to, which is the eMC plus; we have to be able to adapt to it.
“We have to be able to now review our system; we have to do a rethink and be able to now look forward into the coming years. We know where we are coming from. We know where we are, I we have to be able to now know where we are going. In view of that, there is a need for the staff to be able to now be retreat. When you retreat it you make it work better. And that is the essence of this retreat,” he explained.
While pledging the continued commitment of his team to the realization of set goals, he assured that the Agency will continue to monitor the new technology following the migration to online system in order to observe the patronage of the sector via the new technology.
“Our observations show that the number of online applicants is on the increase,” the DG said.
Discussing the essence of the retreat, he, who rose through the ranks to become Director of Concessions and later Director-General of the mineral licensing Agency explained that the essence of the retreat was to train staff on how to effectively operate the new technology.
He stressed the importance of effective operation of the new technology, noting that it was a necessary as it will pave way for a most affective management and administration of mineral titles.