FG Institutes Committee To Secure Natural Resources

President Bola Tinubu has set up an Inter-ministerial committee to come up with a blueprint on how to secure the nation’s natural resources.

At its maiden meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Oladele Alake stated that the aim was to curtail nefarious activities of either illegal mining, deforestation, or pilfering in the marine and blue economy.

“We are here to deliberate mainly on the issue of security around Nigeria’s natural resources, as directed by the president” Dr Alake added.

“The president set up this committee, Solid minerals, marine economy, and forests, all constitute Nigeria’s natural resources, So, all the relevant ministers are here to deliberate on how to efficiently curb nefarious activities of either illegal mining, deforestation, or pilfering in the marine economy”.

He explained that at the meeting the Ministers brainstormed on modalities of achieving the presidential mandate.

“We will be having another meeting, an expanded one, comprising of all the other critical security agencies with a view to now finalizing strategies and presenting a report to Mr. President”, Alake noted.

On his part, the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, stressed that the committee will come up with a robust strategy that will culminate a rejigged security architecture to effectively secure the nation’s forests, blue economy, and solid minerals.

The Ministers in attendance include the host, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru and his interior counterpart, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo,

Others are the Ministers of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal and minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim.

By Georgina Humphrey, Edited By Grace Namiji