Dele Alake, the minister responsible for developing solid minerals, has forced all illicit miners in the nation 30 days to join artisanal corporatives or face the consequences.
When the Agenda for Transformation of Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity was unveiled in Abuja on Sunday, the minister issued the ultimatum.
He forecasts that 50% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will come from solid minerals.
Adding that the ministry would concentrate on a seven-point agenda, he claimed the ministry was ready to bring foreign direct investment to the nation.
The establishment of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, joint ventures with multinational mining companies, and the use of big data to analyse the deposits of the seven priority minerals are just a few of the further initiatives mentioned by Mr. Alake.
Additionally, artisanal cooperative membership was granted to illegal miners with a 30-day grace period.
“The Agenda will establish a Mines Surveillance Task Force, Mines Police, and conduct a thorough examination of all mining licences.
In order to concentrate on value-added products, it would establish six Mineral Processing Centres, he said.
According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu has made bold moves that have changed the trajectory of the Nigerian economy.
Among this administration’s main revolutionary initiatives, according to him, were the elimination of subsidies and the introduction of a single currency rate.
The management of the ministry has as its guiding concept this bold strategy to building long-term economic resilience.
“The ministry must confront the situation head-on if the nation wants to benefit from the trillion-dollar-worth of minerals that are buried beneath the ground nationwide.
“There needs to be a paradigm shift in the strategy by re-positioning the sector in terms of human and capital factors that can drive its transformation,” he added. “To achieve this laudable objective.”
The minister stated that the creation of the Nigerian Solid Mineral Corporation was something the ministry will see to.
He asserted that Nigeria must make its influence felt by repeating its strategic position in the oil industry.
By creating a corporate entity that competes in this area, this is feasible.
As a result, “the ministry shall work towards the incorporation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation,” he stated.
In order to validate their investment ideas, Mr. Alake stated that the corporation would offer strong support to Nigerian businessmen seeking capital abroad.
A security tax force and mines police, he claimed, would be established by the ministry to aid the nation in battling smuggling and unlawful mining.
