The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) has called on the Federal Government for adequate funds to checkmate illegal mining activities across the country.
Mr Yunusa Muhammed, the Acting Director, Investment, Promotion and Mineral Trade Department, MMSD stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Muhammed said it became necessary for the Federal Government to increase the ministry’s funds to bridge the gap of insufficient logistics required for checking activities of illegal mining.
According to him, more staff, such as mining engineers, geologists among others, are also needed to reach all the hinterland where mining activities are going on across the country.
He said currently, the Federal Mines Officers allocated to each state were grossly inadequate to monitor illegal mining activities in their various states.
“Nigeria is a huge country blessed with minerals in all the 774 local governments and every local government has different minerals.
” We have one federal mines officer in every state managing and checking mining activities, this is grossly inadequate.
“For example a state like Niger that has only one mine officer and attached with a vehicle, how can only him monitor illegal mining activities going on there, that is the reason more staff are need,” he said.
