The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has emerged the third-best performing agency of the Federal Government in the ease of doing business assessment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
A statement issued in Abuja by the management of the commission, said the assessment period was between June 2017 and May 2019.
The commission noted that the assessment was contained in the 2019 Compliance Report on Executive Order (EO1) released recently by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
It said the key indicators for the assessment were transparency and efficiency.
It quoted the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, as saying “the assessment was encouraging, humbling and challenging as it recognised the positive treatment of consumers.
“This is a testament to what is possible when all work together to focus on and prioritise what is really most important and the greatest asset of this country, its people.
“I call on staff of the commission to strive not only to be the best performing nationally, but to be internationally regarded,’’ he said.
PEBEC was set up in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari, to remove bureaucratic constraints in doing business in the country.
The council is an inter-governmental and inter-ministerial one, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Other members include 10 ministers, Head of Service of the Federation, Governor of CBN, representatives of Lagos and Kano State government, the National Assembly and the private sector.
In another development, the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) has called on the Federal Government to establish mineral laboratories in the six geo-political zones of the country.
It also urged the government to upgrade the existing Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) Laboratory, in Kaduna, to international standards and provide reliable geoscience data to attract investment to the sector.
In a communiqué, the council argued that the government should fast track the decentralisation of Registration Points in the zones, adding that miners’ risks would be reduced if they applied for Mineral Titles.
It equally wants the Ministry to collaborate with relevant organisations to sensitise informal/artisanal miners, to ensure effective formalisation of artisanal mining operations.
“There should be strict enforcement of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, through the strengthening of relevant agencies and provide facilities for easy accessibility to mine sites and markets.”
Also, both the Federal and states governments are tasked to carry out mining activities within the ambit of the law as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution, and the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
“There should be increased partnership with countries where our minerals are smuggled to, so that illegal activities can be tracked and checked, and block loss of revenue by the government.
“We want the government to train personnel to properly estimate the quality and quantity of the minerals being exported, to ensure proper capture of revenue due to Government,” it added.