By Oscarline Onwuemenyi
ABUJA – The Federal Government has said it would begin an immediate review of regulations for the nation’s mining sector to protect mining communities as well boost the economic wealth of the country through the sector.

L-R Minister of state for Power, Mr. Nuhu Wya, Executive Director Operations, PHCN Engr. John Ayodele, Managing Director, PHCN Engr. Hussein Labo, Chairman Pan Ocean Oil Corporation, Chief Festus Fadeyi, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and GMD NNPC, Engr. Austen Oniwon at the historic signing of the Gas Supply Purchase Agreement between PHCN and NNPC/Pan Ocean JV in Abuja.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammad Sada, stated this during a stock-taking meeting with the Zonal and 36 State Federal Mine Officers which was convened at his instance in Abuja , as part of his efforts to acquaint himself with their overall conduct and performance in the Mine field surveillance and revenue generation drive in the Sector.

According to Sada, the administration was intent on developing an appropriate regulation to guide mining activities in the country towards ensuring that illegal mining and mineral title speculators are completely eliminated.

“This new set of regulations would emphasise the need to ensure that mines and quarries operators adopt safest measures, standards and operational procedures that are consistent with global best practice,” he said.

He added that the ministry would “commence sanitizing and organizing the mine fields such that mining in Nigeria becomes one attractive sector for local and foreign investment.

“There is also need to institutionalize   professionalism and efficiency in mining business, as well as ensuring transparency in the Nigerian Mining industry for increased mineral production.”
Sada further disclosed that plans were underway for establishing a computerized database of all mining and quarrying activities in the country.

“This database when fully operational would help us in creating an interface between the Control Departments of Mines Inspectorate, Mines Environmental Compliance and Mining Cadastre Office, and development of human capital in the Mining industry.

“Government shall expect full enforcement as well as compliance with the Minerals Act and Explosives Laws vis a-vis the Nigerian Minerals and MiningAct2007, the Explosives Act of 1964 and Regulations of 1967,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, the Minister has decried the Ministry’s revenue returns of 2009 from the States describing it as far below its potentials, despite the upward trend.

He said “I am dismayed at the way and manner some of you have performed woefully despite an apparent increase in the tempo of mining activities in your various states without an appreciable corresponding improvement in revenue generation from these activities.”
The Minister further charged the Zonal and Federal   Mines Officers across the States of the country to ensure that all new and on-going mining and quarrying Projects proceeds should commensurate with work done  in line with the  2007 Minerals and Mining Act.

He said, “As part of my on-going interactions with Officers of the Ministry, this meeting became necessary in order to examine and discuss the role of Mines inspection services with a view to harmonizing the programme of activities as well as making necessary re-ordering of present general approach to focus on specific target of revenue generation, mine field surveillance, mine health and safety in line with the policy thrust of the Ministry”.

The Minister reminded the Officers that on assumption of Office two months ago, he expressed his optimism that given the resolve of President GoodLuck Ebele Jonathan on the socio-economic prospects of the Nation, the Minerals and Sector is capable of contributing substantial revenue to the nation’s economy in the present administration’s diversification policy.

According to him, that could only be feasible if, as Professional Mining and Mineral Processing Engineers, they remain mindful of their onerous responsibilities in all the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory so as to boost more government investments in all sectors of the economy far from the single resource of oil prospecting venture from a given region.

The Minister pointed out that in as much as he is not unmindful of the  important roles  each officer  play in accelerating the  development of our vast solid mineral resources in the Nation, they should endeavour to   operate in line with  the policy thrust  of the Ministry’s initiatives as regards Mines inspection.
Arc.M.M.Sada, however, outlined the following as the Ministry’s new policy thrust;
He then charged them to at all time carry out their operations within the confines of that thrust for the Sector to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s socio-economic and industrial development.

The Minister assured the Mines officer that the Federal Government would address all the challenges militating against their smooth operation.

In his opening remarks, the Director of Mines Inspectorate, Engineer Umar  Idris while thanking the Minister for the interactive session with the Zonal and Federal Mine Officers, intimated that the  Mining Inspectorate is saddled with the responsibility for the enforcement of Law and Regulations governing solid minerals exploration, exploitation, use and  monitoring the various stages of quarrying and mining operations, collection of royalties, monitoring  the importation, storage, sale and use of commercial explosives in the mining industry.

Umar also used the occasion to implore the Minister to assist the department in confronting some challenges militating against its smooth operation both in the headquarters and states ranging from quarterly Authority to Incur Expenditure, Office accommodation and operation, field vehicles, rentals payment etc.
Engineer Musa Sheik Goni, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry was present at the meeting.