A Coalition of 40 civil society organizations has commended the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake for taking the bold step of repositioning the nation’s mining industry by revoking defaulting mineral titles.
The groups said it was high time that players engaging in illegal and fraudulent mining activities in Nigeria’s mining sector were stopped from their illicit activities.
The organizations, led by the Executive Director of Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), Amb. Melvin Ejeh, described the Minister’s action as the best thing to have happened in the mining industry in recent times, saying it was long overdue.
Recall that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake on Tuesday, announced the revocation of 1,633 mineral titles over unpaid annual fees.
The action was the fallout of the Mining Cadastral Office which had on October 4, 2023, initiated the revocation process for 2,213 titles including exploration titles, small-scale mining licenses, quarry licenses, and mining leases.
The Minister explained that the mineral titles were revoked due to the holders’ failure to pay the prescribed annual service fees on time.
He said despite a 30-day default notice from the Mining Cadastre Office, the holders were found in violation and non-compliance with their statutory obligations to the government.
Reacting to the development in a joint press statement on Wednesday, the 40 civil society groups thanked the Minister for driving President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on Solid Minerals.
The statement was signed by the Executive
Director of GOPRI; National Co-ordinator of
Center for Justice and Good Governance in Africa, Engr Bashir Dan Zaria; Director,
Conference of North West Professionals Network (CONOWP); Dr (Mrs) Remi Edun for
Community Action for Development (CAD) and Dr Ngozi Amechi, National Women Empowerment Network. (NAWOEN) and Engr. Goni Sheriff, Executive Director, Access to Good Governance Initiative.
The groups appealed to the minister not to look back in his efforts to completely sanitize the nation’s mining sector just as they solicited support from stakeholders and Nigerians for him to succeed in his dream of leaving a good legacy.
The coalition said: “We wish to highly commend the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake for his bold efforts to sanitize our solid minerals industry thus repositioning it for utmost efficiency.
“It is no longer news that over the years, the mining sector has encountered various challenges that have prevented its growth. The sector is known to have been dominated by illegal mining activities, which not only deprived the nation of much-needed revenue and foreign exchange earnings but also resulted in environmental degradation.
“Given this, we wish to commend the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake for initiating the steps to reposition the sector.
“The minister’s actions have affirmed his commitment to elevating solid minerals to boost the Gross Domestic Product, GDD and as well as create employment opportunities for the teeming youths in the country. This is highly commendable. We appreciate this.”
According to the groups, “It is disheartening that only 580 title holders settled their debts, leading to the recommendation to revoke 1,633 mineral titles.”
“This is a sad reminder that some people were not genuine in their intention to explore the sector for the benefit of Nigeria but their personal and selfish reasons.
The group while noting that there might be pushback from some unpatriotic beneficiaries of the old order, however, vowed to rise in defense of laws made for the benefit of Nigerians.
“We are aware of any possible pushback from beneficiaries of this old order. However, we are determined to stand up in defense of promoters of good decisions made for the benefit of all Nigerians,” the statement read.
