₦airaland Forum

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on erosion menace in the state.

The Governor made the call on Wednesday when he visited the erosion site along MINAJ Road, Obosi layout in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

‘‘We have more than 782 erosion sites in Anambra and these pose serious threats to lives and property of the communities concerned.

‘‘As a state, we cannot handle these challenges alone and still carry on with other responsibilities.

‘‘We are appealing to the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on erosion menace in Anambra,’’ Obiano said.

The governor, who also visited the site, ordered the IDC Constriction Ltd., to immediately commence work at the site to prevent the erosion from cutting the road.

The governor expressed regret that erosion menace had consistently posed a great problem to the people of the state.

Mr Ralph Nnabuife-Asha, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Idemili North Local Government Area, commended the governor for his prompt intervention on the erosion at Odume layout in Obosi.

Nnabuife-Asha called on the people of the area to support the second term bid of Obiano, to enable him deliver on other numerous good works he had embarked on in the state.

Mr Emmanuel Nwobosi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), expressed satisfaction over the love the governor had for the people of the state.

‘‘We thank Your Excellency that in spite that this incident occurred a day to the burial of your dear mother, you still find time to visit Obosi over this sad problem we recorded,’’ he said.

Earlier, Chief Chudi Nwokediuko, the President-General of Odume Obosi Central Landlords Association and Obosi Urban Landlords Association, described Obiano as “a governor who loves his people.”

He said that the community had invested more than N2 million to address the erosion menace which had killed a person and collapsed three buildings.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/declare-state-emergency-erosion-anambra-obiano-calls-fg/

Vutseck:
.Delta state Governor the chief security officer of the state said the indigenes should surrender to the Hausa Fulani Muslim murderers

.

Yeah its easier to whine and moan than take steps at state level. If Kogi and Kwara pass legislation South has a wall. The south has to stop wailing and pass legislation though unless they like open grazing.

Okowa stressed that the frequent clashes between nomadic herders and local community farmers was a complex national one that requires national resolution.

Taraba Anti Grazing bill is a done deal. I wonder when delta will do something similar. Edo might be next.

Lalasticlala front page

The Taraba House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill 2017.

The passage of the bill came a day after the Assembly adopted the report of the public hearing on the bill which was conducted across the three senatorial zones of the state.

At the plenary presided by the speaker, Abel Diah, the bill was read for the third time after a motion by the Majority Leader, Joseph Kunini and seconded by Pius Sabo of Wukari 1 constituency.

After clause by clause consideration of the bill, the legislators unanimously voted for its passage through voice vote.

In his remarks, the speaker thanked the members for the attention given to the bill.

He advised the executive arm to give a minimum of six months grace to enlighten the public on the provisions of the bill before the commencement of enforcement as contained in the bill.

Governor Darius Ishaku sent the bill to the Assembly on May 17, for consideration.

The bill now awaits the governor’s assent.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/237484-taraba-assembly-passes-bill-open-grazing.html

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has approved the release of N1 billion to local government councils in the state to offset part of their salary arrears.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Demola Banu, in a statement released in Ilorin, said the sum is part of the N5.1 billion received by the state government as its share of the Paris Club refunds from the federal government this week.

Mr. Banu said the N5.1 billion received by the state government is 12.5 per cent lower than the amount it was expecting from the federal government.

The commissioner said the balance of the refund will be utilized for projects and programmes designed to enhance the welfare and security of people of the state.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/237423-kwara-gives-n1-billion-local-governments-n5-1-billion-share-paris-club-refund.html

Front Page: Mynd44 lalasticlala

Since nobody acting read story. I understand cynicism is more fun. The big talking points you guys missed were Private sector is developing coal fields in Enugu. Simang Group is partnering to mine and generate 600 MW starting off.

There's abundant coal in many states. Federal Government decided to use coal as way to diversify from gas since its subject to supply shocks from militants. The guy is claiming plant will be ready in 3 years. I doubt that since it seems to good to be true.

Don’t you think that people in the South East would have wished it was a direct Federal government project?

Get this nonsense out of here what kind of question is this. The same federal government that failed to develop the coal industry. Does he not remember the defunct Nigeria coal corporation? How many coal plants dd they build in their hay day.

By Dennis Agbo

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu recently led a delegation to Enugu government house, of investors who want to set up a coal power plant in the Coal City. In this interview, Okechukwu narrates the journey, challenges and the new hope of establishing a coal power plant in Enugu to contribute to the power needs of Nigeria.

Why was Enugu coal belts designated for generation of electricity?

This is because the federal government was looking for how best to generate more power, knowing    that South Africa, China and others generate more than 60% of their electricity from coal. They considered that there are large coal deposits in Nigeria from Enugu, Benue, Kogi, Gombe, to Sokoto and why don’t we tap into this resource. Especially, when you consider that our over dependence on Gas power plants sometimes face the challenge of the restiveness in the Niger Delta. Thus while it is very important that we develop more Gas power plants, there is still need to have alternatives, more hydro power plants and even the micro hydro. The idea is how fast can Nigeria generate 40,000 mega watts whether via hydro, gas, coal, solar, or wind.

What were the challenges along the line of revamping Enugu Coal?

The 3D seismic study is important because it is deep coal mining. If it were surface coal mining you could use gravity like in Kogi, Gombe or Sokoto states but when you are going more than a kilometer deep you have to use the 3D seismic survey. The late paramount ruler of Agbaja,  Chief   Onyeama Onwusinkata went to England between 1907 and 1909 because of this same coal. He represented Enugu and signed the agreement between our people and British Coal.  As Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said is it not a paradox that we have on our mast number coal city and some of the kids born after the civil war had never seen a block of coal yet we are addressed as coal city? That is why we now said the best front is that Enugu state government, the federal government and the Simang Group should go into partnership once and for all to revamp Coal.

Osita Okechukwu

So it’s a tripartite arrangement?

It is not the partnership of assigning shares of numbers, but aiding Foreign Direct Investor like Simang. The control of Solid minerals is still in the hands of federal government of Nigeria, then the state is holding the custody, and now go into support partnership with Simang Group and while the President has agreed to give honest support to it.

Don’t you think that people in the South East would have wished it was a direct Federal government project?

No, the Federal Government has a policy of providing the enabling environment for private investors and not managing Coal enterprises. The issue of allocation or concession of the Coal blocks is in the hand of Federal Government. Don’t forget the Minister is a federal minister and not a state minister. All I am saying is that Coal is under the exclusive legislative list, which is under the purview of the federal government of Nigeria. Yes, there is agitation that it should not be but the constitution has not said otherwise. He made a commitment that based on his powers, that there should be development of Coal.

Will Simang Group first carry out the 3D seismic study before setting up the power plant?

You know South Africa is deep in coal mining industry, they said we should not bother that they will complete the study in less than six months, that what they need is access. You are talking about a mining country where about 90 percent of their electricity is through coal. They said they will carry out the study, do the mining and generate electricity.

Have all the legal and enabling environment been given to them?

They have gone round the ministries, it didn’t start today, it is just that we are bringing it face to face with people for the first time. The ministers of mines and power were in Enugu with the Governor and so it’s not today that it started but we know that in few months ahead their physical presence will be on the ground. If they know that if they spend one billion dollars that they won’t recover it, they won’t come.

At what point or date are we looking at to begin to see electricity generated through coal?

They have said that it won’t take them more than three years for electricity to be generated. It may not even get up to then.

Don’t you think they may run into hitches in distribution of the electricity they will generate such as Geometric power in Aba is currently facing the challenge?

I don’t think so. I think that Geometric has been allowed to operate according to the agreement reached with Federal Government. For the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is not the talking type, he directed the Attorney General to look into the Geometric agreement, that Geometrics couldn’t have invested one kobo if there was no agreement. Even the minister for Power, Fashola, had made it open to the Discos that they have to allow some Gencos to key in without prejudice to the agreement they have already. So that is not going to be a problem.

Will Simang Group distribute the electricity when it generates?

No! No! I told you there is a law in place. There are distribution companies and there is transmission. Mr. President discovered that our transmission as it is today cannot accommodate the way we are going, both those that will come from solar, from hydros. The government is running helter shelter because evidence has shown that we cannot move forward without power. What they are thinking about is super transmission line.

Will the power generated through coal be transmitted into the national grid or will serve Enugu or south east states alone?

It’s going to be in a dual carriage way. The entire south east cannot consume 600 mega watts and you know their target is 1000 mega watts. So there must be the local side and the grid and that is why Mr. President is looking for how to expand the grid so that when the time comes, all of them will be joined together. By the time the power generations are aggregated we may have up to 10, 000 mega watts which is the target of government in the first phase and you know we have less than 4, 000 mega watts as of today.

Since we are going to resume coal mining, can’t we also think about exporting it to other countries other than just for power generation?

There are a lot of coal deposits in Nigeria which was the reason why Prof. Nnaji singled Enugu and Gombe out for generation of electricity. That does not mean that the Benue and Kogi coal cannot be used to generate electricity but these four belts in Enugu and the one in Gombe are committed to generating electricity.

What role are you playing in the federal government’s coal to power project in Enugu State?

Just a messenger! A messenger in the sense that when Mr. President came back from England in the course of our discussion, he said how far has the coal project gone? And I said not much has happened on the ground, but a lot has been done as well. He said how and I reminded him that since his directive, the Minister for Mines and Steel, Dr. J K Fayemi, had meetings with the Simang Group in South Africa and that from his own assessment it is a group we can work with because the journey for revamping Enugu coal is a very hectic one, hectic in the sense that it is deep mining and a mine which had been abandoned for long. That Simang has the financial and technical knowhow to survey, mine and generate electricity.

Are you the Nigerian partner of Simang Group?

No,   I am not their Nigerian partner. Odilim Enwegbara of the Pan African Development Corporation is their partner. By virtue of my appointment, I am barred from commercial business, however as I said I have been on this coal issue for the past seven years. My interest was triggered off, first when Prof. Barth Nnaji as an Adviser to the then President formulated the road-map for power sector reform and placed coal as one of the sources of generating electricity and made sure that the four blocks in Enugu were singled out and designated  – Okpara, Onyeama and the Amansiodo axis coal belts and  the one in Gombe, were designated for generation of electricity.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/fg-commences-revamp-enugu-coal-electricity/

Ranching is the way forward and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria will capitalize on it.

feelgoodInc:
so this is how these people go about taking people's land. offering them land for ranch.

Why complain now? Do you or anyone you know plan on starting a ranch. This is an open offer. The Herdsmen will probably drop cultural practice when profits in ranching prove more lucrative.

What's your favorite cut of beef?

So who wants to start a ranch? I'm asking because it's going to be funny when the government allocates ranch land to herdsmen after everything is said and done. Everyone got in arms when the were talking about federal government allocation of federal grazing reserves.

https://cdn.foodbeast.com/content/uploads/2014/07/beef-cuts.jpg

Ortom stressed that his administration was prepared to provide land for those interested in ranching. This, he said, would be subject to strict adherence to relevant laws guiding land use.

http://punchng.com/grazing-bill-embrace-ranching-or-leave-benue-ortom-tells-herdsmen/

Front Page: Lalasticlala

The system failure excuse sounds fishy. You can program computers not to rest or sleep. The rest sound reasonable.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said on Saturday that there would be no rescheduling of examination for candidates who reported late for the mop-up examination.

JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, said this while reacting to complaints by candidates sitting for the mop-up examination at the board’s Computer-Based Centre (CBT) in Bwari, FCT.

Mr. Oloyede, who led some staff members on the supervision of the exercise, said the exam was a supplementary Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) being conducted in 170 centres across the country.

He said 85, 000 candidates slated for the mop-up exam were notified through text messages and warned those who came late that the board would not reschedule the exam.

“There is nothing you can do … we placed adverts in newspapers, sent e-mails and text messages and if you did not get it, it means that you were not invited for the exam.

“A bulk Short Message Service (SMS) was equally sent to your telephone numbers that you provided during the registration.

“We will not reschedule the exam for people who came late,” Mr. Oloyede said.

On complaints about system failure, Mr. Oloyede explained that the computers had been programmed to work under a specific time frame and urged candidates to engage the computers regularly to avoid disruption.

According to him, if a candidate sits down in the exam hall doing nothing, the computer is likely to shut down because there is a time frame for its usage.

“If you do not use it, it will go off. When you sit and you are not doing anything within that time frame, we also monitor from our system to ensure you that candidates are not cheating,” Mr. Oloyede said.

NAN reports that the 85, 000 candidates of the 1.7 million enrolled for the 2017 UTME had registered late for the exam and also had some challenges with the exam.

The mop-up examination which held in two sessions lasted for two hours from 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. (NAN)

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/235565-candidates-lateness-jamb-will-not-reschedule-exam-oloyede.html

Why should residents be clogging drainage like flooding won't be natural result. Anyway police should be fining these people littering if they catch them. Have the kids take them back to their parents. Next the LGA should have trash days where they pick up the garbage if they don't already. The city to large not be handling this.

The Police in Enugu have warned parents and guardians in the state against sending under-aged children to dispose refuse in drains.

The spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, SP Ebere Amaraizu, gave the warning in a statement made available in Enugu on Saturday.

It had become a common practice for some residents of the state to dump refuse in drains and other waterways before, during and after rainfall.

Amaraizu said that the warning became necessary following the drowning of a seven-year-old girl, Ezinne Eze, in Nsukka.

He said that the incident happened on June 16 when the under-aged girl was allegedly sent to dump refuse in a gutter during a downpour.

“It was gathered that the deceased who had gone to dispose refuse in a gutter on that fateful day during a downpour could not be seen, thereby forcing relations to go out in search of her.

“The search could not yield its result until June 18 when the deceased’s body was later found and buried,’’ he said.

He, however, said that the police have commenced investigation into the matter.

In another development, a mob was reported to have killed a suspected armed robber, Okwu Odenyi, on June 18.

Odenyi was said to have robbed some people at gun point at Odenigwe axis of Ajuona community in Nsukka.

The suspect, who dispossessed his victims of their valuables, was killed before the arrival of the police.

Amaraizu said that the body of the suspect had been deposited at the morgue of Bishop Shanaham Memorial Hospital, Nsukka.

According to Amaraizu, sources said that the suspect, who just left prison custody, returned to crime before his death.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/stop-sending-aged-children-dispose-refuse-police-warn-enugu-residents/

I'm in full support of states and Local government building and maintaining prisons. The reason they want to is weird. If the issue is the inmates awaiting trial give them bail and reduce your cost. If the have collateral to offer take it. Most of these guys o doubt are big flight risk or there offense can't warrant bail.

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Of Ondo should comment of this since he wanted prison decentralisation. Ondo probably going to build more prison likewise Kano.

The federal and state governments have agreed to partner the private sector in the construction and rehabilitation of prisons across the country, Ebonyi governor Dave Umahi, has said.

Umahi made the statement on Thursday in Abuja while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).

Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state and Dr Sani Aliyu, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of Aids, accompanied Umahi in the briefing.

The meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

Umahi said the agreement was arrived at after the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd) and the Controller-General of Prison, briefed the council on the state of the nation’s prisons.

He said that in their separate briefing, the two men presented the state of prisons in Nigeria and painted “an appalling’’ picture of structures and logistics in the prison system.

“The Minister of Interior and the Controller-General of Prison came to brief us about the status of our prisons and inmates throughout the country.

“The situation painted by the minister and the CG of Prison was quite pathetic.

“It was also agreed that states that have the capacity to build prisons should go ahead including private sector participation.

“The Minister made it very clear that over 70 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial, ‘’ he said.

Umahi said that governors who attended the meeting were unanimous on the need to rehabilitate prisons in the country.

He said: “It was indicated that states that have the capacity should as soon as practicable lend helping hand to provide facilities that will help decongest the prisons and improve the state of the inmates.’’

The Ebonyi governor told newsmen that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) briefed the NEC on the implementation of the SDGs in the country.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/fg-states-partner-private-sector-construction-rehabilitation-prisons-nec/

Front Page: Lalasticlala Mynd44

Why can't this be bought on open market. If they are too poor do they want government to subsidize it?

By Emmanuel Ayungbe

UYO—FARMERS in Akwa Ibom State are at loggerheads with the state government over the procurement of 30,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer from the Federal Government to battle food scarcity in the state, noting that they are desperately in need of  pesticide to stem further destruction of their farms by pests.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Uduak  Udo-Inyang, last week said that the state government had invested N3.3 billion for the procurement 30,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer from the Federal Government to battle food scarcity in the state.

Udo-Inyang, while reacting to a letter from farmers in the state which alerted his ministry of invasion of their farms by pests,  had said that the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, was determined to tackle the prevailing food challenges in the state  and had taken delivery of 10,000 metric tonnes, out of the 30,000 paid to the Federal Government for the product.

But the farmers argued that applying fertilizer now that their farmlands were already under threat by ravaging dangerous pests was  not proper application of the input and demanded that the state government should urgently save their crops than nourish same for pests to feed on.

Some of the farmers who spoke to Vanguardon condition of anonymity said the state government was only interested in the sales of fertilizer which they said was not necessary as most farmers have stated harvesting.

The source added that, “What we need is pesticide to stop pest from further destroying our crops not fertilizer at this time of farming season when most farmers are harvesting and some are getting ready to harvest.”

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/need-pesticide-not-fertilizer-ibom-farmers/

Interesting to see how different states are tackling the issue. The federal government wants grazing reserves badly. Alot of northern states seen to follow this trend I remember reading Kano doing something similar.

They vaccinated alot of animals. If only certain states cared to do that for humans in their population.

The Yobe government has provided 2,500 hectares of land to the Federal Government for the establishment of grazing reserves and development of fodder banks for animal feeds production.

Mustapha Gaidam, Manager, Yobe Livestock Development Programme (YSLDP), told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Monday that the land was provided in Nasari and Gumsa villages of Jakusko and Gaidam Local Government areas.

The manager said YSLDP had demarcated 1,510 km of stock routes across the state in the last seven years to ease movement of animals, thereby curbing conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.

According to the manager, the programme has consistently engaged farmers and herdsmen in dialogue to ensure that there was no encroachment by farmers into the routes, as well as avoid grazing on farmlands.

Mr. Mustapha said government provided boreholes with generators along the stock routes, which guaranteed availability of water and encouraged grazers to move on the demarcated routes, thereby avoiding encroachment on farmlands.

The manager said the programme had developed demonstration fodder bank, growing varieties of grass species.

“This process has yielded fruitful results across the state as we have not recorded a single conflict between farmers and herdsmen in the past seven years.

“Within the same period, we have also vaccinated over 5.6 million herds of cattle, sheep, goat and dogs, against trans boundary diseases,” he said.

He said the programme would train local livestock farmers to cultivate their farms with a view to boosting the quantity of animal feeds to enhance meat and dairy production. (NAN)

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/235127-yobe-govt-provides-2500-hectares-land-nigerian-govt-grazing-reserve.html

Front Page: Lalasticlala Mynd44

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo said the government would set up a database of northerners resident in the state in order to tackle the rampant cases of attacks on farmers by herdsmen.

Mr John Mayaki, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said in a statement on Friday in Benin that the initiative would allow for easy identification of strange characters within their settlements.

According to the statement, Obaseki made his intention known to members of the Arewa Community in the state after hosting them to iftar ( the traditional breaking of Ramadan fast) at Government House, Benin on Thursday night.

The governor admonished members of the Arewa Community in the state to embrace the diversity which exists in Nigeria and forge a united bond.

He asserted that no true Fulani herdsman would abandon his cattle and take to killing of innocent farmers.

The governor said that the recent cases of rape and murder were perpetrated by foreign elements bent on causing conflict. ”

To checkmate the ugly trend, a committee will be set up to carry out community by community delineation of northern settlers across the state to help identify new comers and their aim”, Obaseki said.

Obaseki said that fenced grazing areas with watering facilities would be clearly defined by government for herdsmen to feed their cattle with payment of economic fees for services rendered.

The governor assured them of fair treatment in spite of religious differences, acknowledging that intermarriage has made them stakeholders in Edo.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of Arewa Community in Edo, Alhaji Umar , commended the governor for breaking fast with them.

He stated that members of the Arewa community were unhappy with the recent attacks as it was giving them a bad name. Umar said that the community would support the state government in identifying and dealing with bad elements amongst the herdsmen.

It would be recalled that suspected herdsmen had on May 22, killed two women in their farms in Ewu community, in Esan Central Local Government area of the state.

Also earlier in the week, another killing was recoded in Ekpoma , Esan West Local Government Area. .(NAN)

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/edo-plans-database-northerners-check-activities-herdsmen/

The butchers are against this bill why? If more ranching takes place you'll get more meat and higher quality. Butchers and herdsmen are the two big interest groups against bill. I do think alot of general population ok with it.

We got like 2 weeks to see how they vote. The state still trying to gage population see if they have overwhelming mandate. Afterwards we'll see how well they implement the law.

Jalingo – Alhaji Bello Yero, Permanent Secretary, Taraba Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, on Friday urged the citizens to support the anti-open grazing bill before the state House of Assembly.

Yero, who made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo, urged herdsmen who were rejecting the bill and the citizens in general to support the bill because of its enormous benefits.

“I have read through the bill sent to the Assembly by Gov. Darius Ishaku and I can authoritatively say that the proposed law is in favour of my kinsmen, Fulani herdsmen.

“It takes a man with a heart like Gov. Ishaku to have such a deep concern over the unwanted killings and destructions here and there and come up with a laudable solution to the problem.

“One thing that I believe is that people don’t take time to read and understand or ask to be enlightened about something; they just go ahead and believe what they heard or what they were told by others.

“I am a Fulani man and if anyone wants to infringe on my rights, I won’t allow that but in this case, it is not so, the governor is only trying to make our state a peaceful and habitable place for everyone,’’ he said.

Yero recalled that when he was growing up, his parents used to operate a ranch called Walde in the local language, which enabled Fulani herdsmen to coexist with farmers.

He noted that the protection of life was the fundamental responsibility of every government, adding that all individuals and groups were duty-bound to support the government in achieving the goal.

“When I was growing up, I use to know what my parents called Walde, meaning ranch, and there were no problems with farmers in the neighbourhood in those days.

“Even at the moment, people on the Mambilla Plateau are the largest cattle rearers in the state; they are still practicing the same kind of cattle ranching and there is peace in the area,” he said.

Yero called on members of the Miyetti–Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to have a rethink about their attempts to scuttle the passage of the bill.

He said that the bill, when passed into law, would control the influx of people, who disguised themselves as herdsmen and attack farmers, all in a plot to tarnish the image of the Fulani people in Taraba.

Yero appealed to the butchers, who were currently on strike in the state in protest of the anti-open grazing and ranches establishment bill, to call off their strike and support the bill.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/perm-sec-urges-taraba-people-support-anti-open-grazing-bill/

Who smuggles minerals in airport wouldn't a ship be better. Make haste and plug up the lears in tax revenue.

By Francisca Oluyole

The Federal Government has approved the establishment of Mines Police Division to checkmate illegal mining and exportation of raw minerals through the borders and sea ports.

Mr Olayinka Oyebode, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the division was recently approved by Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

The mines police would collaborate with the ministry to tackle insecurity at mine sites, as well as illegal mining
among others.

He said the division would be replicated in all the states, adding that this would augment the capacity of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) that were already assisting mines officers in the states on the fields.

“The police personnel and the NSCDC will work with all the state mines officers to achieve sanity, safety of lives and compliance of laid down procedures and environmental standard requirements.

According to him, the ministry is also planning to put mineral detectors at different International Airports to monitor raw minerals being exported.

This he said would be achieved through the Nigeria Customs Service.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Kayode Fayemi, had in 2016, solicited the assistance of the Ministry of Interior to deploy NSCDC personnel to mine sites to curb insecurity.

To this end, the ministry had been deploying officials of the corps to all mine sites to support state mines officers across the country to curb criminality on mine sites.

NAN reports that the gesture had began to yield positive results as officials of the corps in Kwara recently arrested five suspected illegal miners.

No fewer than 70 bags of gold ore were also recovered at a mining site in Odonigi village, Moro Local Government Area of the state.

Also, 15 companies operating illegally in Edo had been arrested by the NSCDC. (NAN)

Source: http://www.nan.ng/news/nigeria-creates-mines-police-section-to-check-illegal-minning/