…says what’s in Cross River State is greater than the oil in Niger Delta
Calabar, Nigeria – Amidst the outcry of meagre allocations by successive governors of Cross River State, an skilled in mineral exploration, Thompson Ekpenyong has revealed that the state’s mineral assets can fund the nation’s price range year-in-year-out.
In an unique interview with Converseer, Ekpenyong stated Beryl ore which he discovered within the state is price tens of tens of millions at native after which a whole lot of tens of millions at worldwide market.
The skilled stated Beryl, which is the principle ore for beryllium is a really powerful steel, and is someday utilized in alloys to strengthen different metals, nuclear reactors, area autos, and X-ray tubes. “A truck of Beryl ore of 13%+ goes for over 40 million naira at native market,” he stated.
Under is an excerpt from the interview with Ekpenyong:
Please, are you able to inform us about your self and your work in Cross River to date?
“My identify is Thompson Ekpenyong and I’m into mineral exploration. I’ve Grasp’s Diploma in Mineral Exploration. Folks rent me to do exploration for them. I’ll go to a selected location which I’ll simply assumed that there’s one thing. You already know I’m a geologist. If I take a look at your soil and terrain, what I see round that terrain we referred to as it pathfinder mineral, pathfinder soil. That can assist me to know which specific factor could doubtless be in that place. That can encourage me to do a potential and dig for 1, 2, 3 or 4 metres relying on the capability.
“That factor I noticed was at Akamkpa however I cannot let you know the place in Akamkpa. I’ve been capable of contact some politicians in Cross River. One in every of them I’m submitting a proposal to him. Till when one thing is completed that’s after I can take these issues down. I’m an adolescent that additionally have to be appreciated.
“Geologically, there’s nothing like South South. That one is a political area, not a geological area. Cross River State is Southeast. That mineral you noticed, we bought it right here in Odukpani. It was Chinese language those who despatched me down there. I feel they’re coming any of lately. It’s limestone. They need to use it for cement.”
Is the state authorities conscious, or is it from the native authorities?
“The factor is that mining is underneath unique record. State authorities doesn’t actually have hand in these issues, besides a land that’s tied down with out operation. Like now any person can simply come and take a coordinate in your house and tie the land down with out working in that land. It’s simply lock the land and hold. Should you can bear in mind what Donald Duke did when he was a governor, the place he needed to battle with the Nigerian Military once they tie Parliamentary Extension, so he needed to go and unlock the place and other people began shopping for land and begin to develop the place.
“Should you tie a selected land and hold, the state governor has the manager energy to revoke the licence. However licence is to be renewed each 5 years. So if by the top of the day there’s no operation up to now 5 years, the state governor can use government order and stroll into the cadastral unit in Abuja and revoke the licence and hold the place open. Somebody can then put software. Like what we’re doing now, I feel they’re about to revoke the licence. They may now put in software. I feel the state authorities is contain as a result of it was one of many authorities officers that despatched me down there.
“I like the present Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, as a result of he has imaginative and prescient for the state. What’s in Cross River State is greater than the oil in Niger Delta. Are you aware that the deposit of Manganese in Cross River can feed all the businesses in Africa. There’s one man that’s making an attempt to get a contract with Switzerland from that very same Manganese. It’s price over hundred million {dollars}. I used to be the one which even found the positioning for him. The person is nowhere to be discovered, and he has locked the positioning.
“The folks of the state usually are not exhibiting concern. The primary individual I’m about to work for, which I’m assembly with him quickly is an honourable. He’s from this Cross River State. I’m giving him the proposal. That’s the primary Cross Riverian I’m about to working for. Each different individual is from Igbo, Hausa, Delta and all that. I’ve by no means labored for any person from right here. It’s even now they began coming into the enterprise.
“The factor is that mining wants thoughts, and it’s worthwhile to have cash so that you can go into mining. You don’t want to begin and cease someplace. That you must end every thing, by hitting what you’re going for. I do know of a woman that misplaced greater than 200 million naira in mining in lower than one yr. However when she recovered her cash, she revamped 4 billion naira. When she made that cash that was when folks began coming. When she was shedding no one cares to know. It’s similar to what is occurring presently in Biase. These guys have been there with out seeing something, however now they’re earning money.”
Within the case of the Chinese language, is it the homeowners of the locked land that brings them in?
“No. The federal government is contain. The person who took me down there’s working with the federal government.”
As a geologist what do you worth the berilium core?
“That factor is an indicator that large deposit is beneath the earth floor. What I used to be doing was only a handbook prospecting. Now, the person I’m assembly tomorrow by God’s grace is . He’s a Federal Home member. I need him to fund the bodily investigation. As soon as we hit it, the market is there. He informed me that he has worldwide market. In Nigeria a metric ton is N1 million. Should you take it to worldwide market you could promote it as much as N10 million per metric ton. The N1 million the individual will handle the logistics, however the N10 million you’ll be in command of the logistics. You possibly can ship it to China or anyplace.
“I’m additionally suggesting that if they will herald a processing plant in Cross River State the place we’ll make use of so many younger graduates. And if you find yourself promoting the processed materials it’s costlier than promoting the uncooked one. Berite is offered round N40,000 for a metric ton. They use it in oil firm for drilling mud. Some wealthy nations use it for development of bridges and all that, however we don’t have such expertise to do this right here. Prince stated they’ll arrange a processing plant in Yala. Once I heard that I used to be very completely happy. It’s only for you guys to help him and pray for him.”
“They’re doing mining of Kaolin in Ikot Effanga Mkpa. All of the ceramic plates that they’re producing in Aba and Anambra the fabric is from that place.”
