Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, south west Nigeria, has ordered the immediate disbandment of the state’s Mining Joint Taskforce (JTF).
He also directed the JTF to hand over all government vehicles and documents in their possession to the Solid Minerals Committee.
Adeleke further issued instructions for the reconstitution of the JTF.
The State Governor had two weeks ago, announced a reform of the solid mineral sector which includes stopping unauthorised mining, addressing challenges of mining related environmental degradation and ensuring Osun state gets her due returns from the sector.
Governor Adeleke had also set up a Solid Mineral Committee to look into activities of stakeholders within the sector with a view to put an end to revenue leakages, unauthorised appropriation of solid minerals and tackling increasing criminal activities around the mining communities.
According to a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the Chairman of the Solid Mineral Committee has consequently been directed to take neccesary steps to ensure seamless transition from the old to the new JTF.
According to the statement, the new team, when constituted, must “operate with utmost professionalism with zero tolerance for misconduct.”
