• Urges FG to deploy security operatives to mining communities
• Oyo govt sets up taskforce to tackle menace
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to strengthen regulation on mining activities in Nigeria in line with international best practices and deploy adequate security to mining communities to prevent further intrusion by informal miners.
This resolution followed a motion sponsored by Sani Musa on the urgent need to address the incident of a rockslide, which buried over 30 people alive in a mining site in Farin Doki Community, Shiroro Local Council of Niger State .
The Senate also mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the site to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the rockslide and accelerate the passage of the Mine Ranger Bill currently before the Upper Chamber.
Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril, who subsequently declared a minute silence in honour of the victims of the tragic incident, said that the Federal Government is constantly short-changed (especially by foreigners) as exploitation of the sector is conducted without recourse to international best practices.
MEANWHILE, Oyo State Government has set up a task force for the protection of its mining sites across the state following incessant reports of illegal mining activities in some parts of the Oke-Ogun axis.
The task force was constituted as a resolution of a three-hour closed-door meeting held at the Secretary to the State Government’s (SSG) Board Room, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The state governor, Seyi Makinde, said his administration would not further permit illegal miners to make fortunes on its mineral resources. Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, said that the administration would continue to improve synergy with all federal and state security agencies to halt illegal mining in three local councils of the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, including Olorunsogo, Irepo and Orelope and the entire state.
Also, Director-General of the Solid Minerals Development Agency, Abiodun Oni, while briefing journalists, said that the template for the task force formation would be submitted for approval within the next two weeks.
He urged every citizen to cooperate with the security agents and other stakeholders to maximise the state’s internally-generated revenue through solid minerals, and a sustainable development plan as well as maximally reduce criminality usually culminating from illegal mining in any society.
