The Nigerian Association  of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said its 49th Annual General Meeting / conference holding next week in Abuja will be declared opened by the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The Association has also enjoined the National Assembly  to make Nigeria’s Constitutional reform a top priority as it begins sitting in the new year, and ensure its passage before the end of the first half of the year to engender free and fair polls in the country.

According to a statement from the Association’s Secretariat, the Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke will deliver a paper on the conference’s theme “Promotion and Development of Solid Minerals Exploration and Exploitation” – A Veritable Strategy Towards Economic Diversification.

The statement further said that Senate Committee Chairman on Solid Minerals, Senator, George Thompson Sekibo will preside over the session with other eminent Nigerians as discussants to unravel the dept of the solid minerals in Nigeria and how to utilise it to jumpstart the economy against the conventional reliance on oil.

Ensure that the electoral reform bill is passed without further delay, for its use in the 2011 elections to avoid the massive rigging, political thuggery.
The Association is worried that despite the existence of economic minerals deposits across the country according to geological survey, the country has continued to remain mono-cultural economy based on crude oil exploration and exploitation, thereby neglecting the solid minerals sector which is equally capable of generating as much foreign exchange earnings as does crude oil if given the much needed attention and investment.

To realise the potentials inherent in the sector, the Association called for easily accessible source of solid minerals venture risk funds and robust advocacy coupled with awareness campaign on the vast potentials of solid minerals in the country.

“It is only through free and fair credible elections can Nigerians elect candidates of their choice who will be answerable to the people, and , therefore much disposed to address the ills of society. This will put to rest political discontent among the people.” the statement said.

NACCIMA  made it clear that it is only through credible elections, which could be achieved through proper electoral reform that the country can hope to attain good political governance, real economic performance as well as national stability largely dependent on the caliber of men and women that emerge from such elections.