From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite has charged inductees of the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) to join hands with the Council to uphold the ethics of the profession, as stipulated in the Council’s Code of Conduct.
The Minister gave this charge in Abuja recently, during the occasion of the COMEG’S 12th Induction Ceremony.
Adegbite said the occasion marks another momentous conjuncture in the journey of the Council towards becoming the foremost Regulator in the Nigerian Extractive Industry, “going back in time, I still recount with nostalgia all the laudable achievements of this Council in the life of this present administration, most of which are in tandem with Mr. President’s aspirations toward building a prosperous nation”. According to him, these achievements are highly recommendable under the leadership of COMEG Council, led by the Chairman, Dr. Godspower Okpoi, and COMEG Management, led by the Registrar, Prof. Zacheus Opafunso.
Also, he revealed that over the years, the Council has consistently been a role model among other Agencies under his watch, especially in it’s quest to ensure Professionalism is entrenched by practitioners as well as making relevant Professional practices lawful by re-introducing and re-energizing it’s Mandatory Professional Examination (MPE) in the year 2020 in line with Part iv section 11 – (1) of the COMEG Act No. 40 of 1990 (now CAP C33 LFN 2004).
The Minister noted that as a result of the Council’s subsisting reviews on examination best practices, it’s first CBT-based (sit-in and online) examination was conducted in October and November, 2022 respectively which has culminated in the Council’s Induction of Class of 12th Inductees.
He congratulated the Inductees and enjoined them to always stand tall in the practice of mining and geoscience profession in Nigeria in all it’s aspects and ramifications. More so, he enjoin them to strive hard in upholding the ethics of their profession as enshrined in the code of conduct of the Council.
The Minister was represented by his Senior Assistant, Mr. Olu Adadayo.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, who was also represented at the occasion by the Director of Human Resources Management, Mr. Muhammad Suleiman, said that the over 200 Individuals and Corporate inductees professionals will assist President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration to reposition the Nation’s Minerals and Metals Sector for global competitiveness and economic diversification.
She said the Nation certainly look up to COMEG and other professional bodies within the Mining Sector to live up to high expectation of ensuring steady supply of professionals to drive the transformation of the Minerals and Metals Sector into leading employer of labour, foreign exchange earner and stabilizer of the Nation’s macro economy. She urged all the inductees to endeavor to uphold the ethics of the professional practices as it will help reduce the effects of illegal practitioners in the industry.
The Chairman of COMEG, Dr. Godspower Ebimotimi Okpoi, in his remarks, informed the gathering that the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientist (COMEG) was established by Decree 40 of 1990 now enshrined as CAP C33 LFN 2004 was promulgated with the responsibilities of; Prescribing and enforcing the minimum standard of education and experience to be obtained by persons qualified to practice as registered Mining Engineers, Geoscientists, and other professionals; Maintaining discipline in the profession in accordance with the Act; Regulating and controlling the practice of Mining Engineering Geosciences and related professions; Proscribing and enforcing the code of conduct of Registered Mining Engineers, Geoscientists and other professionals, among others.
He said since the establishment of COMEG in 1990 and it’s inauguration in 2021, the Council has continued to discharge it’s responsibilities in accordance with it’s laws and as permitted by prevailing circumstances.
The Registrar, Prof. Zacheus Opafunso, in his address, told the inductees and guest at the occasion that the Council in the last three years has made concerted efforts to promote and enshrine the sustenance of professionalism in the Nigerian Extractive Industry and that the efforts are geared towards enthroning a strong and virile COMEG in accordance with relevant sections of the COMEG Act and that this has resulted in a re- invigorated Mandatory Professional Examination (MPE) exercise as a standard requirement for membership registration prior to every induction ceremony.
He thanked the Honourable Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and members of the COMEG for their unwavering support towards the growth and continued sustenance of the Council.