Fed Govt To Revoke Dormant Mining, Exploration Licences

Fayemi: Solid Minerals growth, a great deal of work ahead of us; Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (C) speaking

• Illegal mining to be formalized

Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said the Federal Government will revoke mining and exploration licences that are dormant.

The Nation report continues:

He said the ministry was working to formalize illegal mining by helping the illegal miners organize themselves into cooperatives and help them with facilities to access finances.

Fayemi said: “Many people in Nigeria own mining, exploration and small scale licences and they are not operating in the places where they occupy with the licences, it is not acceptable.

“Government has turned blind eye to such activities for a long time; henceforth, the government will no longer tolerate that. In a matter of weeks, we will publish the names of people who are holding onto dormant licences that are not in use and give them an appropriate period to redeem themselves or revoke the licences.”

Speaking during a fact-finding tour to Niger State, Fayemi said the government is not out to punish Nigerians who are working hard to eke out a living for themselves, adding that if they chose to remain illegal after the government had extended its support, they would have to face the wrath of the law.

“Illegal mining exists, we need to stop being in denial of it. One of this government’s priorities is to provide jobs for our people. We are not criminalizing hardworking Nigerians who are trying to eke out a living for themselves rather, we are aiming to formalize the sector.

“We are working to ensure that those referred to as illegals are formalized into cooperatives to enable them contribute to the Nigeria society via taxes. After this step, anyone who chooses to remain illegal, we will wage war against them,” he said.

Fayemi, who paid a courtesy visit to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello after his visit to some mining sites in Paikoro and Chachanga, said the government wants mining to become the alternative revenue earner in Nigeria, stressing that the importance for a strengthened relationship between the Federal Government and states cannot be overemphasized.

“With what is happening to oil in the country, we do not have a choice but to look for alternative sources of revenue in order for Nigeria to move forward,” he said.

Bello urged the government to be serious in the development of solid minerals in the state adding that the over-dependence on oil has not paid off the nation in recent times.

“There has not been seriousness in solid minerals and agricultural sector in the past. We have been too dependent on oil revenue which is not available to us again. We need to start developing other sectors that will be economically viable for the nation,” he said.

He lauded the efforts of Fayemi in ensuring that those with licenses in the sector put their licence to use. “We need to get a data of owners of licenses and bring them under one umbrella. We need to formalize the sector. Something needs to be done with those who have licenses and are not using it,” the governor said.

Bello then called for a more serious and beneficial relationship between federal and state government in the area of solid minerals development.