The Cross River State Government and Shaan Xi Province of China have kicked off a process to establish a comprehensive database of all solid minerals depot in the area.

Receiving a team from the Province, Governor Ben Ayade said creating the database would require that the Chinese undertake the geographical mapping of the entire State.

Professor Ayade said “l am convinced that you and your team are good geologists; and l know you will deploy your expertise to identify every single mineral on our soil.  l believe that by the time you are done, Cross River State will have a map that would show us the location and quantity of our resources”.

“We signed a pact with Shaan Xi Province earlier in China; and it is on the strength of that sister-state agreement we have a team from the minerals and geophysical unit here. They have come with equipment and other paraphernalia required for a detailed geological survey of Cross River State”, Ayade informed his executive council.

Expertise

According to Ayade, technical and financial difficulties were challenges, which confronted the State, noting that the presence of the Chinese to undertake the mapping was satisfactory.

He further stated: “I am happy to announce to the people that we have an amalgam of intellectuals and highly skilled geologists from the Province of Shaan Xi to work with us towards mapping out all our minerals in the 18 local government areas at no cost to the State”.

The head of the Chinese delegation, Mr. Fan Jing said ‘we are here based on the MOU signed during your last visit to Shaan Xi Province”.

He informed the Governor and his executives that the delegation consisted of senior geologists trained to provide good geological data.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Mr. George Oben-etchi said to further boost the relationship between the State and Shaan Xi Province, the Governor of the Chinese community has already established a bilateral trade centre in China.