The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development says it is working on formulating new policies that would guide artisanal mining activities, and harness the immense benefits due from mining in the county.
In a statement, the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, disclosed this during a one-day working visit to the Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule in Lafia, the state capital.
According to him, the New Policies would help minimize stealing of minerals in the country by ensuring that every mineral taken out of the country is properly recorded and monitored.
He added that with the forthcoming policies, every mineral must go through government pre-shipment approval with due royalties paid.
Dr Ogah also stated that the Policies would make sure that raw minerals are not taken out of the country without going through the beneficiation process to add value to them, instead of selling them raw to other countries at cheap prices who then refine them and sell back to us at a high rate.
The Hon. Minister said these Policies when fully implemented, would create wealth, employment and take Nigerians out of poverty.
He affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari had identified the mining sector as a key component in the economic diversification process of Government.
Dr Ogah said the new Policies would create a collaboration and synergy between the Federal, State, Local Government and the communities for revenue generation.
He urged the Nasarawa State Government to key in as it has a lot to benefit from mining since the state is known as the “Home of Solid Minerals”.
In a related development, Dr Ogah while meeting with Stakeholders in the mining sector at a townhall meeting in Lafia, disclosed that the federal government had set aside Solid Mineral Development Fund to encourage local investors to succeed, remain in business and grow the economy.
He added that government had put a waiver on the importation of mining tools by local investors.
Dr Ogah also noted that the Ministry has been working on creating an operational framework for seamless operation.
He therefore tasked them to operate by the set rules and show their patriotism by ensuring they pay the due royalties.
In his remarks earlier, the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule expressed the State’s desire to be fully involved in mining as it has abundance of mineral resources.
He urged the Ministry to give priority of giving mining licences to serious-minded Nasarawa indigenes who are interested in mining. He noted that such indigenous investors would also ensure the provision of security at the mining sites by the locals, adding that non-involvement of the locals could create problems for the investors.
He also urged the ministry to ensure it notified the state government of companies that had been given licences to operate in the Sate.
Much earlier, Nasarawa State Director, Mineral Resource Development, Thomas Bashay, had urged the Ministry to implement the agreement contained in the Communiqué issued at the end of the recent Mining Week in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He appealed to the Minister to consider giving the State the hosting right of the 2020 Mining Week.
