Illegal miners in Nigeria have been granted another 30 days’ grace to quit their unlawful activities or risk federal government’s coercive action.
The minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, announced this extension yesterday while speaking to journalists ahead of the 8th Nigeria Mining Week event coming up in Abuja from 16-18 October, 2023.
Responding to questions from journalists on the 30-day ultimatum he gave illegal mines several weeks ago.said the timeline was not given as a punitive action but to galvanise those involved in the act to formalise their activities by seeking to obtain mining licenses or forming themselves into artisanal cooperatives so that their activities become legalised and free from harassments.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the minister had in early September issued the 30-day ultimatum to illegal; mines to quit their mining sites and join recomposes mining cooperatives of face the full wrath of the law. He also stated that the federal government would also set up a mining police and corporation to get a firmer grip of the industry, among others.
The idea, he said is “to help the so-called illegal miners by pushing to join the existing artisanal cooperatives.
“So, if they become formalised, it will be easier even to educate and push them into proper mining operations that will be beneficial, not only to them, but the host communities, and to the environment.”
He affirmed that after the initial 30-day ultimatum, a lot of them had been coming and making effort to formalise their operations.”
He, however, said the 30-day warning to illegal miners had been extended by another 30 days, adding that after this extension, the government will take action against such elements.
“Now, because of the pragmatism involved in the field, we’ve also decided to extend that ultimatum by another 30 days, after which there will be no reprieve for anybody circumventing this regulation,” he stated.
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