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The Federal Government has advised Quarry operators to
comply with safety rules and regulations for sustainable
development in the mining industry in Nigeria.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Musa
Mohammed Sada gave the charge during an interactive session
with the quarry operators in the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
In the words of the Minister: “All stakeholders should
attach importance to the issues that will enhance the
efforts of the Ministry in ensuring an orderly development
of the Solid Minerals sector”.
Arc.
Sada said that the interactive session was necessary because
of the present administration’s agenda to diversify the
nation’s economic from oil to the non-oil sectors with
particular emphasis on the development of the Minerals and
Metals Sector.
According to the Minister, the implication of the focus on
the development of the Minerals and Metals Sector is that
all Mineral Title holders must carry out their activities in
a sustainable manner in order to achieve economic, social
and environmental objectives of government, adding that,
that is the reason for the interactive session.
The Minister observed that most of the quarry operators are
not operating in line with the relevant sections of the
Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 pertaining to environmental
safety and sustainability which must be complied with.
To
address the challenge of safety and environmental compliance
among quarry operators, the Minister disclosed that he would
have similar interactive sessions with all quarry operators
in all the states of the federation.
The Minister said that the submission of an approved
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the
pre-conditions before the commencement of any quarry
operations. He, however, noted that most of the Quarry
operators have not complied with that rule.
He observed that that development had resulted to devastated
environment without reclamation.
Responding on behalf of the Quarry operators in the Federal
Capital Territory, Chief Audu Ogbeh of Benetech Limited,
Mpape, Abuja thanked the Minister of Mines and Steel
Development, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada for organizing the
interactive session.
Chief Ogbeh assured the Federal Government of his members’
commitment for compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act
of 2007 as regards environmental compliance and safety for
sustainable mining.
“We the Quarry operators are ready to abide by the rules and
regulations guiding our operations.”
Chief Ogbeh told the Minister that the Quarry
operators within the Federal Capital Territory would
form an association for easy co-ordination and to
ensure compliance with the relevant rules and
regulations for operators in the sub-sector.
The spokesperson for the Quarry operators drew the
attention of the Honourable Minister to the
challenges of developers constructing residential
houses close to quarry sites at Mpape in Abuja
which is hazardous.
Consequently, he sought the assistance of the Minister
of Mines and Steel Development to liaise with the
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to stop
that trend.
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