By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development to engage revenue consultants to collect all outstanding fees and royalties accruable to the government from mining operations with immediate effect.

Under the approval, which Vanguard learned of last night, the revenue consultants are to work for an initial trial period of one year to enable government evaluate the suitability or otherwise of the scheme.

Presidential sources confirmed last night that in granting the approval, the President questioned the payment of 15 per cent of the revenue to be collected to the consultants, suggesting, however, that the rate should only be applied to a higher amount of revenue collected and not across board.

According to sources close to the deal, the presidential consent is necessary to, among others, maximise the revenue inflow to government by adopting strategies that would plug leakages and ensure accurate declaration of mineral productions by operating companies.

The administration was also persuaded to acquiesce to the request by the parent ministry to assess the quantities of mineral production by operators and determine the actual revenue payable, with a view to collecting the arrears due the government and send a message to defaulters that it would no longer be business as usual.

A document prepared by the government for the purpose of re-jigging the revenue profile of the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, which Vanguard sighted last night, showed that the audit would cover the period of 2010-2015.