The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Wednesday, tasked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) with crafting policies aimed at reshaping the mental attitude of Nigerians, describing it as fundamental to nation-building and sustainable development.
Receiving NIPSS Course 47 (2025) participants in his office, Alake praised the institute as Nigeria’s policy think tank, emphasizing the need for it to lead a shift in the national mindset that would foster more effective policy implementation and accountability.
Alake said, “We’ve had several development plans over the years, but implementation has often been fragmented. NIPSS was established as a hub of intellectualism into the art of governance, yet a gap remains, perhaps because public officials don’t fully engage with its recommendations, or the institute isn’t articulating its ideas clearly enough for practical adoption.”
Turning to the mining sector, Alake lamented the decades-long neglect of solid minerals, which allowed illegal operators to drain the nation of valuable resources. However, he stated that under the Tinubu administration, this narrative is changing.
He highlighted recent milestones, including the work of the mining marshals who, within a year of operations, have arrested over 300 illegal miners, initiated the prosecution of approximately 150 suspects, including foreign nationals, and recovered 98 illegal mining sites. Nine convictions have also been secured.
Alake noted that the ministry’s non-coercive policy to combat illegal artisanal mining has led to the formation of over 250 cooperatives. These have helped formalize artisanal miners, enhance government oversight, and increase revenue generation through royalties.
Reiterating the importance of mindset reform, the minister, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, said, “Once the mental attitude is wrong, nothing else can be right. What the president is doing now is to stop the bleeding—plugging systemic leakages through critical reforms aimed at long-term national prosperity.”
Responding on behalf of the NIPSS delegation, Mr. David Aloh commended the ministry’s transparency and insight, describing the session as “Illuminating and eye-opening.”
He stated that participants were now better informed about the ministry’s activities and those of its key agencies, such as the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), particularly to Nigeria’s green economy aspirations.
