The federal government was urged Tuesday to prevent states from outlawing mining activity by the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN).
The Nigerian constitution, according to National President of MAN, ‘Dele Ayanleke, never gave states the authority to forbid mining in their jurisdictions.
According to him, the constitution only granted states the authority to govern the mining industry.
The Miners Association of Nigeria is categorically opposed to any form of illegality in the sector, whether in the regulatory or operational wing of the sector, Ayanleke declared in response to the recent wave of state government bans on illegal miners and the arrest of some miners registered with the association.
Our tagline, “The Watchdog of The Mining Industry,” and our membership entrance procedure, which doesn’t welcome unlicensed operators, are powerful evidence of this claim. Do you need to outlaw crime, or do you need to take preventative or corrective action?
“Do you declare a ban or form a committee to ban when armed robbers arrive at your home? Who in the family, save the mother, can determine which of the family’s children is a bastard and which is a real child?
How does a state government know which miners are lawful and which are illegal if it doesn’t provide mining permits?
Where is the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development’s participation in these misdeeds, along with the organisations it controls to issue licences and regulate the industry?
“What happens to the Nigerian Constitution that all of our elected and appointed political officers swore on oath to promote and defend?”In their capacity as the principal administrator/regulator of this issue, our Minister and the entire Ministry of Solid Minerals Development can no longer afford to keep quiet.
