*Photo: Dr Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development*
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has obtained the Federal Executive Council’s approval to procure and install satellite equipment and gadgets in strategic places across the country.
The Minister, Dr. Dele Alake, told newsmen in Abuja on Monday
that such would enable the Ministry to police the country’s mineral deposit sites to combat unlicensed, unregulated, and underreported mining activities.
Dr said a lack of strong policies and policing had led to revenue leakages, illegal operations, and illegal extraction and exportation of the country’s minerals.
He said part of the strategies adopted by the Ministry to protect Nigerian mineral resources was persuading illegal miners to form co-operative groups to get them structured, formalised, and legalised to add some value to the nation.
The Minister said the strategy had paid off, adding that so far, the illegal miners have formed over 300 cooperative societies, which are fully legalised, structured, and contributing meaningfully to the coffers of the nation.
He warned that FEC’s approval would be meted out to erring illegal miners who had refused to honour the government’s persuasion to formalise their operations.
He explained that some of those illegal miners, including foreigners, had been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted.
Dr Alake said despite the progress recorded in thwarting their activities, there would be the need to introduce technology into the Ministry’s overall practice and strategy.
