In a decisive move, the federal government has issued a stern 30-day ultimatum to illegal miners, compelling them to join artisanal cooperatives or face legal consequences.
Addressing the press in Abuja on Sunday, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, announced the implementation of a strengthened security regime within the solid minerals sector, commencing in October.
This security enhancement will include the deployment of a specialized Mine Police unit, drawn from the Nigeria Police and trained specifically to identify and apprehend illegal mining activities and perpetrators.
Furthermore, Minister Alake revealed that the ministry has initiated a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Mining Act, benchmarking it against economies that have achieved remarkable success in attracting foreign direct investment in mining. This review aims to introduce international best practices into the sector.
Highlighting the ministry’s alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Minister Alake emphasized the mandate to develop the solid minerals sector by learning from both the successes and shortcomings of the domestic hydrocarbon petroleum industry while applying globally recognized standards.
Minister Alake stated, “It is evident that the government’s strategy for sector development has been centered on the inclusion and formalization of artisanal miners. Despite these generous efforts, there still exist individuals who persist in illegal mining operations, refusing to join cooperatives.
Let this be the final warning: the ministry is affording such individuals a 30-day grace period to join a miners’ cooperative or seek alternative employment. After this grace period, the full force of the law will be enforced against anyone found on a mining site without a recognized status.”
Meanwhile, Professor Peter Akper, a researcher at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), highlighted the alarming revenue losses experienced by Nigeria in the mining sector due to a lack of coordination among different levels of government.
Speaking at the 19th African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development (Centre LSD)/Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) bi-annual leadership lecture and graduation ceremony, he stressed the need for a well-regulated mining sector aligned with the country’s developmental goals.
Dr. Otive Igbuzor, the founding Executive Director of the Centre, added that Africa’s abundant natural resources have too often become a curse instead of a blessing, attributing this to poor leadership, leading to poverty, conflict, and underdevelopment.
