Bauchi State Commissioner of Ministry of Natural Resources, Muhammad Maiwada Bello has been commended for his outstanding performance during the struggle for the adoption of extract on solid mineral policy and implementation in the State.
The commendation was made by the Senior Management Committee of the Bauchi State Ministry of Natural Resources during an extra ordinary meeting held on 25th June, 2024 at the Commissioner’s Office which he presided over.
The implementation of the extract came into being early this month by signing the 3 Executive Orders 2024 by the State Governor Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed.
The meeting was aimed at strategizing for the implementation of the Executive Order No.1 of 2024 by the Ministry.
Earlier in his remarks the Commissioner said that all hands must be on deck for the actualization of the Ministry’s mandate in the struggle to make Bauchi the hub of business center in terms of mineral exploration and sanitizing the system will no doubt attract internal and external mining Investors.
He further said that the policy and programmes for mining activities in the State is aimed to benefit present and the next generation to come.
The adoption of extract on solid mineral policy by the State Executive Council was to sanitize the mining activities that will boost mineral exploration, revenue generation, security and free environmental degradation.
It also aims at providing employment in processing centers as contained in the State programs for the provision of mineral processing centers.
It could be recalled that 3 weeks ago, the State Governor Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had signed 3 Executive Orders of 2024. One of the Orders was an Executive Order No.1 of 2024 on Community and Environmental Protection, Public Safety, Security and Prohibition of Deforestation in Bauchi State that banned Traditional or Community Leaders from issuing any consent letter to any individual or corporate body for any excavation activities.
The law also banned Traditional or Community Leaders from entering into or signing any Community Development Agreement (CDA) without the requisite approval of the State Government through the State Ministry of Natural Resources.
Any individual or Company found carrying out any activity (ies) that is against the provisions of this Order or without due compliance with the relevant provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, shall be liable to punishment in line with Section 60 of Environmental Impact Assessment Act (CAP.E12) LFN 2004.
Any individual or Company found carrying out activity (ies) that is against the provisions of this Order whose activity is not covered under the Environmental Impact Assessment Act shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of three years or fine which may extend to One Million (1,000,000.00) or both.
Any person who abstract, prevents, hinders or assaults any obstruction Officer of the Mobile Court in the lawful execution of his duties under this Order shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of five hundred thousand naira (500,000.00) or imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or both.
To this end during the meeting a sensitization committee have been constituted and designated desk Officers for smooth implementation of the policy as contained in a statement by Saleh Umar I.O.BSMNR.