The President, Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Professor Akinade Olatunji, has stated that the solid minerals sector can be the mainstay of the Nigerian economy and generate huge revenue for the country if properly harnessed.
Addressing newsmen in Jos, Plateau State, ahead of the Society Annual Conference slated for March this year, Professor Olatunji said to achieve this all the bottlenecks and bureaucracy militating against the vibrancy of the sector have to be addressed.
Professor Olatunji, who strongly condemned the recent attachment of banditry to mining activities, urged the government, especially security agencies, to root out the elements out of the country, especially where they are constituting a clog to mining activities.
“Unfortunately, banditry is linked to mining and is gradually becoming a threat to the sector. If you don’t implement the law as to who should enter your country, when you have a porous border where people cross at will and do all sorts of things, then you are inviting bandits into your system.
“The question is very simple: do we know where these guys are coming from? Are they doing legitimate business? The Minister of Solid Minerals Development said his life is being threatened now because he came out to say influential people are behind illegal mining, which gives credence to what we are saying that these bandits are gangs of bandits sponsored by individuals to have access to mineral resources in a particular area?.
“The military is doing their best; those bandits are being accommodated by people within our community. Security should be on top of their game and root out these bandits. Anyone who has taken a gun against a state shouldn’t live; that person has lost the right to live.”
He added that if the government desires to make the mining sector a veritable source of revenue, those saddled with the responsibility of the turnaround, especially the Mining Inspectorate section, must be fully empowered with the necessary facilities to enhance their operations.
On the rivalry between the state and federal governments over the mining of solid minerals, the NMGS President charged both arms of government to use the constitution and existing Mining Act to address the gray areas.
He said :”The rivalry between the state and federal governments shouldn’t have arisen; you cannot solve conflict with conflict. If there is conflict in terms of control, let us use legal means to address it. The way out is the constitution of the country and the Mining Act.”
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