Illegal mining: Nigeria loses N8trn biennially – Senate

As the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration grapples with fall in prices of crude oil, which account for over 70 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings, it has been revealed that Nigeria loses N8 trillion every two years due to illegal mining of solid minerals.

This comes as analysts have harped on the need for diversification of the nation’s economy to shore up earnings, which would boost the economy and create opportunities for teeming unemployed youths.

This came to the fore on Thursday, as the Senate debated a motion on illegal mining of the nation’s solid minerals, a motion sponsored by Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North).

The Senate condemned in strong terms, the mindless and unlawful plundering of the nation’s solid minerals and mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals to look into the matter with a view to finding lasting solutions to the problem.

Senators, however, rejected a prayer inviting the minister, permanent secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals and heads of others relevant agencies for explanations and clarifications on the matter.

Also, the Senate urged the executive – both states and local councils – to take concrete steps towards ending illegal mining in Nigeria, describing the ‘unlawful plundering’ of the nation’s solid minerals by local and foreign miners as ‘economic sabotage.’

The Senate directed law enforcement agencies, especially the Inspector-General of Police, to be alive to the responsibility of bringing the illegal miners to book as urgently as possible.

Faseyi argued, “Illegal mining thrives because of weak legislation and poor enforcement, thus jeopardising the urgent need to diversify the economy from oil to solid minerals sector, necessitated by the steady dwindling price of oil at the international market.

“It has resulted in the devastation and pollution of the environment leading to the death of hundreds of Nigerians with several thousands of others infested with various ailments especially in the Northern rural areas.”

Contributing to the motion, Lanre Tejuoso (APC, Ogun Central), called for incentives for state governments by ensuring that they were in control of mining activities in their areas.

This, he believes, will encourage them to protect the legality of the mining of solid minerals in their respective domains.

“The Solid Minerals Ministry is not as successful as the Petroleum Ministry because the Federal Government has monopoly of the returns of the Solid Minerals Ministry. If the state governments are given the power to have a larger share of the returns of the solid minerals, it will make them protect the legality of the mining of solid minerals,” he said.

Senate president, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the session, expressed regret that government was losing a lot of revenue due to illegal mining, adding that this would boost government coffers in the area of non-oil revenue.

In another development, the Senate also invited the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, on the recurrence of kidnapping and hostage taking in the country.

This followed a motion by Andy Uba (PDP, Anambra South), who noted that the incidents of kidnapping had assumed dangerous dimensions across the country.

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE