Expert says FG insincere in tackling illegal mining

The Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS) has accused the federal government of insincerity in tackling illegal mining across the country. 

President, Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS), Prof. Shedrack Olatunji who lamented that illegal mining activities are happening across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, said the government was not intentional about stopping it.

Speaking on Friday in Uyo at the 255th Council Meeting of Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS), Prof. Olatunji said lack of qualified, well-funded, and well regulated personnel saddled with the responsibility of monitoring mining activities was evident that government was paying lip service to the ideas of stopping illegal mining.

He explained that the federal mines offices across the states were poorly staffed, equipped and motivated to properly monitor the work under their jurisdiction, and called for an increase in the staff strength of the inspectorate unit in the mines offices.

• TotalEnergies Ubeta 300 capacity gas facility to create thousands of jobs – FG
• FG has approved N21bn for meters –NERC

He advocated for the involvement of the private sector like NMGS to carry out oversight functions in collaboration with the Inspectorate unit in the mines office.

“As a society, we frown at illegal mining because it is denying the nation its revenue, it is denying our people jobs, and it is also devastating our environment. If illegal mining is not curtailed, you will begin to see vast waste land, not good for any other thing. There is illegal mining going on in all parts of the country, in the 36 states of the Federation, including Abuja,” he said. 

Olatunji urged the government to commit public funds to the production of geological maps, saying the project was not cheap as it would take a lot of personnel and funds to achieve it.