Illegal Mining: Nigeria prioritises registration of artisanal miners

The Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, has stressed that biometric data capture for registered artisanal and small-scale miners will reduce the rate of illegal mining and smuggling in the country.

In a statement signed by the Head of Press Department, Funmi Imuetinyan, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said that the ministry has prioritised artisanal and small-scale mining operators to combat the persistent illegalities in the sector.

 He said the Ministry of Mines and Steel, as a matter of Strategy, initiated and supported biometric data capturing of all registered artisanal and small-scale miners across the country under the formalisation and mainstreaming of ASM operators.

The Minister said the creation of an ecosystem will minimise the high rate of illegal mining and smuggling, “increase Government’s revenue from the resource, create jobs, and improve environmental and social stewardship.”

Gemstone Market

The minister also disclosed that creating a gemstone market will ensure the diversification of the national economic base of Nigeria.

While commissioning the Ultramodern International Gemstone Market Ojoo, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adegbite stressed that the ministry designed six strategic ASM Cluster Projects in the six geopolitical zones as a means to harness the potentials of the over three million Artisanal and Small Scale Mining operators in the country.

He added that the creation of an international Gemstone Market in Ibadan for the Southwest Zone is one of such projects.

“The landmark projects are to create an enabling environment to support the Mining Industry through the formalisation of the ASM Sub-sector as a major driver of the key growth parameters to engender the development of the Mining Sector since over 90% of the Mining activities in the country could safely be said to be ASM driven.”

PR/Punch/Hauwa Abu