– Seeks security protection of mining sites
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal Government has announced the need to tap fully the potentials of solid minerals deposit in the country, in order to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and fast track development.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite, said as the nation moves from the over dependency on oil to other sectors such as mining and agriculture which if properly harnessed, will increase local and foreign earnings that will translate to growth and development of the country.
Adegbite who disclosed this during a visit to the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, affirmed that minerals like gold, lead, limestone, diamond, etc were found in large deposits all over the country and there was need to tap its full potentials to help boost the country’s GDP and hasten development in the country.
He, however, charged NSCDC to do more for the country and not reneged in ensuring adequate protection of mining sites from illegal miners sabotaging the economy, citing examples of how the Corps was able to get rid of illegal miners who were milking the nation dry through their illegal activities in Zamfara, Osun, Kaduna and other states in the country.
“The Corps is contributing very significantly to the actualization of government’s economic diversification program as the nation moves from the over dependency on oil as the mainstay of our economy to other sectors such as mining and agriculture which if properly harnessed, will increase local and foreign earnings that will translate to growth and development of the country.
“There is a need to protect the nation’s solid minerals from illegal miners so as to prevent huge economic loss and maximize the possible profit derivable from there, so far, the NSCDC has performed excellently well in protecting these God given resources from the hands of the wasters.
“Since the beginning of our partnership with the NSCDC, tremendous advancement has been recorded in the mining sector, this is because, the level of lawlessness in the sector regarding illegal mining has drastically reduced and I am going to ensure that we support your agency in every way possible to make your job easier.”
The Minister further assured NSCDC of his Ministry’s total support and collaboration in bringing sanity to the mining sector and also applauded the Commandant General for his gender sensitivity and all-inclusive policy of mainstreaming women into the structures and compositions of the Corps.
Responding, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, assured the Minister that the Corps will not rest on its oars until it put an end to illegal mining in the country, through what he described as a renewed onslaught against all illegal miners in the country.
Audi stated that the mining sector was a critical area that must be jealously guarded and warned all illegal and artisanal miners without license to obtain one or quit the business completely as NSCDC will be coming after them in full force.
“The problem associated with illegal mining is multi-dimensional, that, aside from causing human and environmental catastrophe, it also amounts to wastage and loss of revenue for the government, which is the reasons NSCDC as the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure in the country, is taking bold steps in addressing the challenges with renewed vigour.”
