Fayemi: hard times await illegal miners
Hard times now await illegal miners as the Federal Government has expressed readiness to invoke the extant laws to bring them to justice in its bid to diversify the economy.
Solid Minerals Minister Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who gave the government’s stance yesterday, said President Muhammadu Buhari had given a marching order to rid the sector of illegal mining and generate more revenue into the nation’s coffers.
Speaking with reporters in his hometown, Isan Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, the minister said the Mining and Mineral Act 2007 had provided the government the legal weapon to prosecute illegal miners and saboteurs.
The former Ekiti State governor said the nation had the potential to become a global leading player in the sector with 44 key minerals, which, he said could be found in about 350 locations in the 36 states.
He identified poor management of the sector in the last 55 years of independence as the reason why Nigeria had not gotten enough return in terms of foreign exchange, investment and job opportunities.
The minister explained that solid minerals and agriculture were very dear to the president in his plan to widen the nation’s income base and provide employment opportunities.
He added that nothing would be spared to restore vibrancy to the sector.
Fayemi said: “President Buhari came into government with strong integrity. And we won’t allow the integrity quotient to reduce. So, whoever perpetrates illegality in the sector must start packing his load.
“We are ready to tackle the cartels in the sector and those who think they can continue will face the maximum wrath of the law.
“If you glean through what President Buhari said when he came into power, every comment is punctuated with preference for solid minerals and agriculture as areas of interest in his efforts to diversify the economy. So, Mr. President has put me in his area of interest and I thank him for reposing confidence in me”.
He said the ministry is blessed with experts in geophysics, mineral resources, geology, metallurgical and material engineering, mineral engineering among others to translate the dream to reality.
“Though, I may not be an expert in mineral resources management, but having superintended over every sector as a governor, I think I have the experience.
“The task is not even about expertise, but service. I should be able to work with these experts to bring about the needed change in the sector.
“Nigeria used to be a centre of excellence in solid minerals, particularly in Tin and Coal since 1903, that was before the First World War, when petrol came, we abandoned production of these two minerals. But we have come to realise our mistake.
“We have coal in Enugu, diamond in Nasarawa, tin and columbite in Plateau and many other states. There is no state without a mineral. So, we have a lot of potential to tap and this we shall achieve,” Fayemi said

No need for this over hyping, he should go the the field already. JKF ko, JJC ni

same old same old..

this guy will perform trust him

initial gra gra if u ask me. "Change they wanted, change they have gotten"

Action speak louder than words.

You guys will be shamed after 4years.I believe that.I believe in this govt.

Waiting for results.

Mmmmm

Why the wailing?? ? Conserve your strength for greater wails ahead. This man will deliver and Nigeria will be great.

No doubt that Dr Fayemi will walk his talk.

Countdown starts immediately though, no time to waste, crude oil price is already playing in the valleys..



Cc; ilekehd ..

Abeg he should come to Jos!

Too many chinese with Illegal licences, digging precious stones and various minerals outta the ground to be shipped to china.

Seriously, I hate seeing that!

PRYCE:
Abeg he should come to Jos!

Too many chinese with Illegal licences, digging precious stones and various mineral outta the ground to be shipped to china.

Seriously, I hate seeing that!

It is not only Jos, the gold in Osun state is being lived larged upon as well...

I don't know what the mineral Yobe/Gombe people have but they are balling there as well..

The chinese are as bad if not worse than europeans cos they pretend to be helpless & your friend while molesting your behind with no lubricant!!!

Galamsey. I used to have a well researched document funded by CBN on the exact location of all mineral resources with well comprehensive plan on all equipments needed to turn them into finished goods. That Nigeria is at this stage economically defies logic. I cried for Nigerian condition and the absolute spirit responsible for development told me Nigeria is a dead end.

modath:


It is not only Jos, the gold in Osun state is being lived larged upon as well...

I don't know what the mineral Yobe/Gombe people have but they are balling there as well..

The chinese are as bad if not worse than europeans cos they pretend to be helpless & your friend while molesting your behind with no lubricant!!!

Lol! Pre Cum Ko Engine Oil ni!!!

Seriously, This was one of the frailties of the past administration. And you know what, Those chinese treat Their Nigerian Labourers with utter disdain!... Like say no be their country...

The kinda treatment those Diamond miners metted out in the movie..."Blood Diamond"

We need Action

modath:

No doubt that Dr Fayemi will walk his talk.

Countdown starts immediately though, no time to waste, crude oil price is already playing in the valleys..



Cc; ilekehd ..

My sister, you know politicians. Enu na fi n soro, oun ni won fi n rin.

E je ka fun won ni osu meji si.

This is slightly a good news. Ki Ifa fi ona ye Fayemi