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In an effort to boost
the socio-economic growth of the Nation, the Minister of
Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammad Sada has
charged all the Zonal and Federal Mines Officers across
the States of the country to ensure that all new and
on-going mining and quarrying Projects proceeds should
commensurate with work done in line with the 2007 Minerals
and Mining Act.
The Minister gave the charge during a stock
taking meeting with the Zonal and 36 State Federal Mine
Officers which was convened at his instance in Abuja as part
of his efforts to acquaint himself with their overall
conduct and performance in the Mine field surveillance and
revenue generation drive in the Sector.
He said “as part of my on-going
interactions with Officers of the Ministry, this meeting
became necessary in order to examine and discuss the role of
Mines inspection services with a view to harmonizing the
programme of activities as well as making necessary
re-ordering of present general approach to focus on specific
target of revenue generation, mine field surveillance, mine
health and safety in line with the policy thrust of the
Ministry”.
The Minister reminded the Officers that on
assumption of Office two months ago, he expressed his
optimism that given the resolve of President GoodLuck Ebele
Jonathan on the socio-economic prospects of the Nation, the
Minerals and Sector is capable of contributing substantial
revenue to the nation’s economy in the present
administration’s diversification policy.
He opined further that such could only be
feasible if, as Professional Mining and Mineral Processing
Engineers, they remain mindful of their onerous
responsibilities in all the 36 States of the Federation and
the Federal Capital Territory so as to boost more government
investments in all sectors of the economy far from the
single resource of oil prospecting venture from a given
region.
Arc.Sada decried the Ministry’s revenue
returns of 2009 from the States describing it as far below
its potentials, despite the upward trend, he said “I am
dismayed at the way and manner some of you have performed
woefully despite an apparent increase in the tempo of mining
activities in your various states without an appreciable
corresponding improvement in revenue generation from these
activities”.
The Minister pointed out that in as much as
he is not unmindful of the important roles each officer
play in accelerating the development of our vast solid
mineral resources in the Nation, they should endeavour to
operate in line with the policy thrust of the Ministry’s
initiatives as regards Mines inspection.
Arc.M.M.Sada, however, outlined the following
as the Ministry’s new policy thrust;
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- developing
an appropriate Regulation to guide mining
activities;
- ensuring that mines and
quarries operators adopt safest measures,
standards and operational procedures that
are consistent with global best practices;
- sanitizing and organizing the
mine fields such that mining in Nigeria becomes
one attractive sector for local and foreign
investment;
- institutionalizing
professionalism, efficiency in mining
business, transparency in the Nigerian Mining
industry for increased mineral production;
- ensuring that illegal mining
and mineral title speculators are completely
eliminated;
- establishing a computerized
database of all mining and quarrying activities
in the country;
- creating an interface between
the Control Departments of Mines Inspectorate,
Mines Environmental Compliance and Mining
Cadastre Office, development of human capital in
the Mining industry and full enforcement as well
as compliance with the Minerals Act and
Explosives Laws vis a-vis the Nigerian Minerals
and MiningAct2007, the Explosives Act of 1964 and
Regulations of 1967. |
He then charged them to at all time carry out
their operations within the confines of that thrust for the
Sector to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s
socio-economic and industrial development.
The Minister assured the Mines officer that
the Federal Government would address all the challenges
militating against their smooth operation.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Mines
Inspectorate, Engineer Umar Idris while thanking the
Minister for the interactive session with the Zonal and
Federal Mine Officers , intimated that the Mining
Inspectorate is saddled with the responsibility for the
enforcement of Law and Regulations governing solid minerals
exploration, exploitation, use and monitoring the various
stages of quarrying and mining operations, collection of
royalties, monitoring the importation, storage, sale and
use of commercial explosives in the mining industry.
Engr. Umar also used the occasion to implore
the Minister to assist the department in confronting some
challenges militating against its smooth operation both in
the headquarters and states ranging from quarterly Authority
to Incur Expenditure, Office accommodation and operation,
field vehicles, rentals payment etc.
Engineer Musa Sheik Goni, the Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry was present at the meeting.
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