Stakeholder Seeks Ways To Boost Mining Sector

The National Publicity Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, MAN, Mr. Fatai Jimoh says for the present administration to achieve the renewed hope agenda in the mining sector value must be added to mineral resources before exportation.

Mr. Jimoh stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja.

He also urged the Federal Government to grant amnesty to illegal miners operating in the North East.

“The amnesty should be tailored along the line of the amnesty programme set up for agitators in the Niger Delta” he stressed.

Mr. Jimoh who is also the Secretary of the Edo State chapter of the Association and Secretary, Nigeria Society of Mining Engineers in the State, linked the menace of illegal mining to unemployment adding that granting the perpetrators amnesty would help in addressing the situation.

According to him, the issue of illegal mining can only be a thing of the past if the federal government keeps the agreement reached with host communities across the country.

The National Publicity Secretary of MAN said the Federal Government’s thirty days ultimatum given to artistinal miners to join cooperative societies, was too short stressing that ninety days would have been more appropriate with adequate enlightenment.

“The Federal Government should embark on proper sensitisation for small scale miners on the need to join cooperative societies which should be done gradually and not forcefully” Jimoh emphasized.

“The 30 days timeline given to the artisanal miners to get registered into a cooperative society for using the mining field is one of those policies that may not work.

“Take for instance, we need to understand who the artisanal miners are, because they are like an invisible set of people that need some level of orientation.

“The artisanal miners, are people who you can call the illegal miners, who explore the federal government’s deposit or mineral endowments without necessary documentation.

He warned that the industry is knowledge based and locals must be educated on the provisions of the Mining Act of 2007, as he tasked stakeholders on addressing poverty, collusion between security agencies and stakeholders, and poor implementation of government regulations.

He further asked stakeholders to employ the provisions of the Mining Act in resolving controversies with Host communities.

Georgina Humphrey, Edited By Grace Namiji