Why FG banned licences to miners who can’t add local value -Alake

• Says specialised Mines Police to be introduced

• As NSCDC nabs 11 illegal miners, 2 vandals

By Hammeed M. Bello

The Federal Government has revealed that henceforth, prospective mining operators in Nigeria who have no plans to transform raw materials into finished products locally will no longer be given licenses.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake made this known in an exclusive interview he granted to a section of the media on Monday.

Dr Alake also revealed that to ensure more security to mining activities in the country, plans are underway to introduce specialized Mines Police to be responsible also for preventing illegal mining activities in the country.

The Minister noted that miners operating within the country desirous of  keeping their licenses must comply with the requirement for local value addition like processing the minerals into finished products.

He said security architecture is being strengthened with a huge infusion of technology to secure the mining environment which he said necessitated the plan to create the specialized Mines Police.

He said also that interagency collaboration with Service Chiefs, National Security Adviser to the President, and Defence Ministers have been stepped up to pave the way for the new security outfit for the mining sector.

He said local and international attention has been redirected to Nigeria’s solid minerals which has created a surge of renewed interest in the mining sector that has attracted global big players.

To this end, he said, the Federal Government is committed to plugging loopholes exploited by illegal miners to steal our mineral resources.

Already, 1, 633 mining licences have been revoked due to default in annual service fees, and that processes are put in place to sanction other categories of defaulters.

The measures, he added, include an ultimatum to illegal artisanal miners to form themselves into cooperatives to formalize their operations which has yielded tremendous results.

Over 50 cooperatives have been formed since the announcement, Alake said.

He pointed out that no state has the power to make policy pronouncement on solid minerals as it is provided for under the exclusive list. “Whoever veers off is making an infraction of the constitution”, he said.

According to him,  Community Development Agreement(CDA) has been revised to ensure an enabling environment for mining operators. “This will foster seamless operations that will maximize beneficiation to host communities”, he said.

He noted also that the Government is prioritizing the exploration and exploitation of seven minerals and lithium based on vast global demand. The seven minerals include gold, Baryte, iron ore, lead/zinc, coal, limestone and bitumen.