Alake, Tunji-Ojo make headlines for good jobs

… as Solid Minerals Devt, Interior ministries come alive

…Nigerians heave sigh of relief as delayed passports are released

While some of the newly appointed ministers have yielded themselves to unnecessary controversies over their modus operandi, Dele Alake, minister of Solid Minerals Development, and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of Interior, are already showing the right feet on their beats.

When last Thursday Tunji-Ojo paid a visit to Alake, many Nigerians had lauded the move, particularly pointing out that the two ministers had already begun to show mastery of what their jobs entail.

During the visit, Alake had commended Tunji-Ojo for the giant strides he has so far made in repositioning the Interior Ministry since his assumption of office. He emphasised the need for collaboration to address the concerns of insecurity plaguing the mining sector.

“If we are to achieve our aim of developing solid minerals in the country, we have to address the challenges of insecurity, the menace of illegal miners and the activities of immigrants that are not properly documented but mining our resources and illegally carting away funds that should accrue to our nation. We cannot achieve this without synergy with the Interior Ministry,” the Minister said.

The request by Alake for synergy with the Interior Ministry on security, illegal mining, and the decision of the ministers to set up a joint task team, could not have come at a better time.

Before their arrival on the scene, the nation’s solid minerals had been a bazaar for privileged few, whose tentacles run deep into the seat of power in Abuja.

Illegal mining has been going on across the country and government’s reaction over the years has been feeble.

Many concerned citizens had questioned why mineral deposits in certain parts of the country were appropriated by the state governments where they are domiciled, but government holds onto some other deposits in certain other parts of the country.

For instance, the appropriation of gold deposits in Zamfara State by the state government has not gone down well with many Nigerians, who question why it should be so.

In some states, private individuals are said to be colluding with government at different levels to exploit the solid minerals without accounting for it.

It is not yet public how much is paid into the government coffers by private individuals exploiting the solid minerals. Many worry that the appropriate revenues are not being captured and they are asking why.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, Dennis Agbo, a member of the Labour Party (LP), described as “free-for-all” the wanton exploitation of the solid minerals, which ordinarily should be squarely under the control of the Federal Government.

“It is a free-for-all; nobody is in charge. But government should take charge. Non-state actors are seizing those areas, exploiting the resources; we hear that make-shift airports are created in those places and they mine gold and fly away and nothing happens. Government must begin to check such illegal mining and exploitation,” Agbo said.

He also noted that there was confusion in the exploitation of solid minerals in the country and urged the Federal Government to stop it. According to him, illegal mining of gold and other precious minerals by non-state actors was capable of sending a negative signal to prospective foreign investors.

Perhaps, it was against the backdrop of such concerns that the Minister of Solid Minerals is making efforts to restore sanity in the sector.

Alake’s courageous steps

Shortly after assumption of office late August, Alake gave a 30-day ultimatum to illegal miners to join artisanal cooperatives.

He also unveiled what he called, ‘Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity,’ saying that the full weight of the law would be brought against those who willfully contravene the warning.

Alake, who was trained as a media personality and practised for several years as journalist, equally expressed concern over what has been happening in the sector. But he was determined to clean the Augean stable.

He announced that security tax force and mines police would be introduced to help the country combat illegal mining and smuggling, adding that there would be a comprehensive review of all mining licenses and the creation of six (6) Mineral Processing Centres to focus on Value-Added products.

He also said that the ministry would focus on a seven-point agenda, including the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, Joint Ventures with Mining Multinationals, Big Data on specific seven priority minerals and their deposits.

“For the last time, let me declare that the Ministry is giving such persons 30 days grace to join a miners’ co-operative or find another vocation to do. On the expiration of the period, the full weight of the law will fall on anyone seen on a mining site without a determinable status. This message will be interpreted into Nigerian languages and broadcast on the radio to ensure no one is ignorant of this directive.

“From October, a rejuvenated security regime will become active in the solid minerals sector. This will include the Mine Police, sourced from the Nigeria Police and specially trained to detect illegal mining and apprehend offenders. The new Mines Surveillance Security Task Force will coordinate the Mines Police and proactively address high risk incidences of breach of Mining Laws. The Federal and State governments will also be encouraged to allocate the prosecution of cases against illegal miners to competent courts,” the minister said.

It is his hope that the ministry would add at least 50percent to the Nigerian economy, and that the Ministry was determined to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the country.

Speaking particularly on the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, Alake had said: “Mining is big business. Nigeria must assert its presence in this environment by replicating its strategic positioning in the petroleum sector by setting up a corporate body that plays in this field. Consequently, the Ministry shall work towards the incorporation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation.”

While addressing the press to mark the 8th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, last Wednesday, Alake reiterated his commitment to unlocking Nigeria’s mining potential, creating a brighter future for the country and citizens.

He rightly noted that the mining industry plays a huge role in the economic development of Nigeria.

“Beneath our soil lie vast mineral resources that harbor tremendous potential for growth and prosperity. This potential extends not only to our nation but also to the wider African Continent,” he said.