PRECIOUS ODIGIRI, Abuja.
In order to decisively end illegal mining in the country, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake has declared a 30-day ultimatum to illegal miners. He said illegal miners who fail to formalize their operations by joining artisanal cooperatives within the stipulated timeframe will face the wrath of the law.
He gave the ultimatum during the unveiling of the ‘Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity,’ in Abuja on Sunday.
He said as part of efforts to stem illegal mining, the administration will re-introduce Mines Surveillance Task Force and Mine Police, as well as embark on a comprehensive review of all mining licenses and the creation of six Mineral Processing Centres to focus on value-added products.
The minister stated: ‘The ministry has to take the bull by the horn if the country must reap the harvest of the trillion dollars worth of minerals under the ground across the country,’ adding that there must be a paradigm shift in the strategy by re-positioning the sector in terms of the human and capital factors that can drive its transformation.
Alake said the solid mineral sector will contribute no less than fifty percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that the ministry is poised to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in mining.
He said his administration will focus on a seven-point agenda, including the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, joint ventures with mining multinationals, big data on specific seven priority minerals and their deposits.
‘President Bola Tinubu has taken firm, courageous decisions that have reset the logic of the Nigerian economy. The removal of subsidy and the adoption of a single exchange rate are among the fundamental transformational policies of this administration. This radical approach to making the economy resilient in the long term is the guiding principle of the management of the ministry.’
On the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, the minister said ‘mining is big business. Nigeria must assert its presence in this environment by replicating its strategic positioning in the petroleum sector by setting up a corporate body that plays in this field. The ministry shall work towards the incorporation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation.’
According to the Minister, the corporate body will have subsidiaries doing business in the seven priority areas that require immediate intervention and focus which include: Gold, Coal, Limestone, Bitumen, Lead, Iron-ore and Baryte.
He said existing enterprises, such as the National Iron-Ore Company, and ongoing arrangements, such as the Bitumen Concessioning Programme, will be reviewed to fit into this new system.
‘The proposed corporation will seek and secure partnership investment agreements with big multinational companies worldwide to leverage on the attractive investment-friendly regime operating in the country to secure massive Foreign Direct Investment for the mining sector. The positioning of the national corporation as a guarantor and protector of the partnership agreements is expected to assure partners of our seriousness and fidelity.
‘Similarly, the Solid Minerals Corporation will provide robust support for Nigerian businessmen seeking funding abroad and help to authenticate their investment proposals to speed up the commitment of their partners to invest. Domestically, the Solid Minerals Corporation will engage the Nigerian financial system, which has demonstrated palpable reluctance to support mineral prospecting and mining because of the long-term gestation of value generation by developing a Fund to facilitate investments in mining at interest rates that will be mutually agreed,’ the minister said.
The minister said the country will leverage on the abundant precious minerals including gold, manganese, bitumen, lithium, iron ore, lead, zinc, limestone, uranium, columbite, barite, kaolin, gemstones, coal, topaz and copper that are in massive proportions to attract investors into country.
Alake said the ministry is introducing a security tax force and mines police that will help the country combat illegal mining and smuggling.
‘For the last time, let me declare that the Ministry is giving such persons 30 days grace to join a miners’ co-operative or find another vocation to do. On the expiration of the period, the full weight of the law will fall on anyone seen on a mining site without a determinable status. This message will be interpreted into Nigerian languages and broadcast on the radio to ensure no one is ignorant of this directive.’
‘From October, a rejuvenated security regime will become active in the solid minerals sector. This will include the Mine Police, sourced from the Nigeria Police and specially trained to detect illegal mining and apprehend offenders.’
‘The new Mines Surveillance Security Task Force will coordinate the Mines Police and proactively address high risk incidences of breach of Mining Laws. The Federal and State governments will also be encouraged to allocate the prosecution of cases against illegal miners to competent courts,’ the minister said.
Speaking on the focus area the ministry will target towards developing the sector, the minister said the ministry has identified several factors such as insufficient geo-data, weak implementation and enforcement, poor environmental, safety, and health policies, fragility and conflict, unregulated artisanal mining, low technical capacity, lack of access to financing, weak inter-governmental and inter-agency coordination and weak federal – state relations.
