By Oscarline Onwuemenyi
THE Government has expressed worry that the formation of multiple unions in the growing mining industry may not be healthy for sustainable development of the nation’s Mining industry.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc.Musa Mohammed Sada, noted this on Friday when the Executive members of the Miners Association of Nigeria paid him a working visit in his office in Abuja.

He argued that an Association, they are operators in the Mining industry and not  employees of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to be unionized.

He said, “The people to unionize are your workers, labourers, and technicians in your offices and mine sites. That is the right thing to do”.

The Minister explained that the operators are businessmen, industrialists, wealth creators while the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is the regulator in the Sector.

Arc. Sada gave the advice on the heels of the issue of break ups in the Association whereby some members call themselves the progressives and other splinter groups.
However, the Minister advised that operators in the sector should synergise and work together to move the sector forward.
According to him, the association should bring together all the splinter groups under the Miners Association of Nigeria for the development of the Mining industry in the country.

He said when that is achieved, groups like the Producers and Processors of Barytes Association of Nigeria, Coal and others would be operating in connection with the umbrella body in charge of Mining in Nigeria, Miners Association of Nigeria.

“Let there be one association. Let the people that have interest in the various solid mineral resources in the country spring up under the Miners Association of Nigeria. This is what will push the operators forward in the development of the mining industry,” he added.

The Minister explained that for consistency in policy implementation in the sector there have to be operating guidelines which is what the Ministry is trying to do by involving all relevant stakeholders.

The Minister disclosed that efforts are being made by the Federal Government and the World Bank through the office of the sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project for funding operations in the sector.

To prevent the re-occurrence of the lead poison incident in Zamfara State and other states across the country, the Minister disclosed that a stakeholder’s forum is scheduled for Thursday next week in Gusau, Zamfara State.

The Minister disclosed that after the stakeholders forum the ban on Mining activities in Zamfara State would be lifted for the continuation of mining activities in that state.

Arc. Sada thanked the chairman and members of the Miners Association of Nigeria for their visit and determination to partner with the Ministry for the development of the Mining industry.
He assured them of the Ministry’s support and cooperation for the development of the sector.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and the Chairman, Miners Association of Nigeria, Alh. Sani Shehu said that the purpose of their visit was to indicate their preparedness to work with government as partners in progress towards the development of Nigeria’s Mining Sector to be the foremost revenue earner for government, job and wealth creation.

Shehu said that members of the association were also impressed with the Minister’s style of leadership by carrying all stakeholders along in the mining industry since assumption of office in the Ministry. In his words: “This is the first time in recent memory the Ministry invites operators to directly partake in the review of the document that will regulate their activities. This is really a departure from the past tradition.”

As a way forward towards the development of the Mining industry in Nigeria, the Chairman suggested that there should be policy consistency, strengthening of departments and more funding intervention for operators.