The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) says pragmatic steps are being taken to curb the adverse impact of mining activities on the environment.
The Federal Ministries of Solid Minerals Development and Environment are strengthening collaboration to ensure that, in line with international best practices, mining operations in the country have minimal adverse effect on the environment.
While playing host to his Environment counterpart, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, in his office in Abuja, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Dele Alake reiterated the commitment of the federal government to safeguarding mining areas while ensuring seamless operations that conform to global standards of negligible harmful impact on the environment, a statement by Segun Tomori, Alake’s media aide, said.
In his remarks Mr Lawal said, “Recently, the Minister launched a solid minerals roadmap, which I think took care of the issue of the environment because whenever there is mining, the environment will be affected one way or the other. So, we are working very closely to see that whatever is being done will be within the limit of tolerable impact on the environment.”
This is as the 5th National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) was declared open on Monday in Ilorin, Kwara State with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, highlighting the areas of focus at the meeting to bringing about sustainable development of Nigeria’s solid minerals and metal sector.
The Permanent Secretary who affirmed the importance of the Council meeting in the efforts to ensure the sustainable development of the sector, said the theme: ”Minerals and Metals sector: a Panacea for Economic Growth and Diversity”, with all the sub-themes to be discussed during the technical session, is apt now that the nation is diversifying into the solid minerals and metal sector for economic prosperity.
Stressing the importance of the meeting to realising the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the sector for the benefits of the people; Dr noted that the meeting afforded stakeholders in the sector an invaluable platform to deliver on key issues affecting the sector and chart a way forward, according to statement signed by, Alaba Balogun, Deputy-Director, Information & Public Relations in the ministry.
She said: ”Our Agenda for today includes discussions on policy reforms, investment opportunities, community engagement, environmental sustainability, and fostering innovation in the sector’.”
The Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Mrs Funke Sokoya, in her welcome address, seized the opportunity of the occasion to make a passionate appeal to the Ministers and Council members, stressing that the yearly resolutions agreed upon should be judiciously utilised.
In that way, according to her, the participants would be solving most of “the challenges facing them in their respective states- as evident in the sub-themes of this event, issues such as illegal mining and community development agreements (CDA).
