Minister seeks collaboration to tackle mining conflicts

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, yesterday, emphasised the need for collaboration with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to address boundary-related conflicts in mining areas.

The minister, who spoke while receiving NBC Director-General, Adamu Adaji, in his office, highlighted the significance of the agency in enabling smooth operations of the ministry, particularly regarding overlapping mining sites and relevant data.

He made a case for the transfer of geological data, domiciled in the commission, to the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), stressing that making the agency a one-stop domain for such data would enable organisations streamline their search for geological data.

Alake said: “All geological data in the country should ideally be deposited in the NGSA office. The primary responsibility of NSGA should not only be for the generation of data, but also the depository of data as long as it is of geological nature.”

“This is crucial so that any agency, ministry, or organisation needing the data will just have one place to go, rather than searching several agencies.

“When data are fragmented, it becomes tedious for investors to gather the necessary data to guide their investment decisions.”

Responding, Adaji stated that the commission was seeking a synergy with the ministry and its agencies to ensure properly defined boundaries in mining areas, especially where mining licences straddle the boundary.

He promised to make available any geological data that might be in its custody to the NGSA.

The minister, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, affirmed that agencies of the ministry like the NGSA and Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) would work with the commission to resolve outstanding cases of overlapping mining licences.