Niger State has officially established a task force to address illegal mining activities and their environmental impact, marking a significant step towards better regulation in the state.
The newly inaugurated task force is tasked with several critical functions: monitoring and identifying illegal mining sites, overseeing child labor practices at these sites, and addressing security issues in mining communities.
This move comes as part of the state’s broader effort to combat environmental degradation linked to unregulated mining activities.
The Acting Governor, Yakubu Garba, highlighted that the initiative was essential due to the inadequate profiling of mining entities.
Out of 880 registered mining companies—comprising 578 individual companies and 302 cooperatives—only 261 have been properly profiled. This gap in oversight has prompted the formation of the Task Force.
During the inauguration, Garba also announced a conditional suspension of the existing ban on illegal mining. He expressed confidence that the Task Force will uphold mining regulations and foster responsible mining practices.
The Task Force is expected to verify the types of mineral titles held by mining companies, assess their compliance with current laws, and address any other relevant issues to ensure effective enforcement.
Abubakar Usman, the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the Task Force, thanked the government for the opportunity and committed to diligently fulfilling the Task Force’s mandate.
Meanwhile, Demola Banjo, Director General of Niger State Mineral Resources, welcomed the Task Force as a long-awaited measure, given the sector’s history of exploitation without proper regulation.
The Task Force’s membership includes the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Sabo Yahaya, as Co-Chairman, along with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Additionally, the team features the Commissioner for Homeland Security, the Commissioner of Police, the Director of DSS, the Commandant of NSCDC, the Commandant of Vigilante, all 25 Council Chairmen, Secretaries of all 8 Emirate Councils, and representatives from the State Assembly and Judiciary.
Be the first to comment