Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule says there is the need for collaboration between the federal, states and mining communities to curb illegal mining and insecurity challenges associated with it.
Sule said this at the 27th National Economic Summit, which held in Abuja, on Monday.
He said even though mining is in the exclusive list, there is the need for to seek the consent of host communities to avoid frictions, adding that until the federal and state government work with the host mining communities, the country will continue to work in circles as far as the mining sector is concerned.
“That is the reason why we continue to have illegal miners. Most of these illegal miners sometimes are not looking for any of the three. They are not looking for consent, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or consent,” he said.
“They go and operate without any of these three. As a result, mining has also become a source of insecurity.”
Sule said the country should improve the mining sector interest to reduce overdependence on oil and gas.
“We need to know exactly where we are going and we need to define our vision which must be clear. There should be no ambiguity about what we want to do in the mining sector,” he said.
He said illegal mining has become a major problem, requiring collective efforts to tackle the menace.
On the steps taken by his administration to attract investors in the mining sector, Sule said even though the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has issued about 400 licenses, 95 percent of these are not operating.
He said his administration is providing all the possible atmosphere for investors to come and invest.
He added that the state is ready to provide investors with all the needed support, the infrastructure like roads.
Sule saidn his administration spent N3bn to build a road from Mararaba to Udege for a mining company, the Kenyang Mining Company Limited.
He said even though the government is yet to make any money from the firm, the plan was that there will a value chain.
“From the value chain, our people will get employed, the company will do their Corporate Social Responsibility, royalties will come later,” he said.
“These are the kinds of things we have done. That is what we are willing to do in Nasarawa State to attract investment.”
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said the federal government is working towards resolving conflicts between sub nationals and the FG, especially now that oil and gas is no longer tenable as the sole revenue earner for the country.
