Present Administration Will No Longer Tolerate Illegal Mining – Alake

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake has warned that the present administration will no longer tolerate any form of illegal mining and exportation of raw mineral resources.

The Minister gave this warning at the graduation ceremony and presentation of starter packs to batch 3 graduates of the ministry’s programme on gemstone and jewellery master training empowerment organized by the ministry in collaboration with the Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification MinDiver, World Bank Assisted Project in Abuja.

“I want to use this opportunity to send a very stern and strong warning to the entire nation that there is a new sheriff in town”.

Alake stressed that the ministry is working hard to set up strategies to apprehend and prosecute culprits irrespective of their class in the society.

“My ministry is currently putting in place some strategies, tactics and logistics. We are working very closely with security agencies to design a very solid and enduring formula for combating illegal mining and exploitation of all critical minerals in this country.

He added that solid minerals are Nigeria’s next petroleum, so they must be properly harnessed with local value before exportation.

“We must address all our critical resources for the benefit of our nation. Today, it is a known fact all over the world that hydrocarbons are the downward trend in global international trade.

“We are going to be adding local value and we are going to attract foreign investors into this sector” the minister stressed.

Earlier, the project coordinator, Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification, MinDiver, Mr. Sallim Salaam stressed that jewellery making was part of strategies for implementing the downstream value additional policy.

On his part the Jewellery Training Consultant for the ministry, Mr.Tope Adebanjo said that the initiative will develop and raise entrepreneurs for the sector.

According to him, the programme which is designed to provide a starter pack for beneficiaries “provides investment opportunities through which the graduates can make meaningful living.

In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe, represented by the Director, Human Resource Management Department in the Ministry, Mohammed Suleiman commended the Minister for creating a conducive environment towards the completion of the empowerment project within his short time in the ministry.

The initiative which is targeted at harnessing Nigeria’s solid minerals potential for youth employment and national growth, is in line with the federal government’s “value addition philosophy”.

Georgina Humphrey, Edited By Grace Namiji