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From Isaac Job, Uyo
The Nigerian Mining Geosciences Society (NMGS) has appealed to the Federal Government to ensure adequate funding of mines offices across the federation to monitor illegal mining activities .
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Friday to mark the 255th Council Meeting of the society, the president, Nigerian Mining Geosciences Society, Prof. Akinade Olatunji, said there was need for government to adequately fund the mines offices with qualified staff and logistics to check the menace of illegal mining across the nation
Olatunji observed that activities of illegal mining in the country have affected the economy and caused environmental degradation of the nation, adding that it should not be discontinued.
He asked the federal government for proper funding and equipping of all federal mines offices across the federation with logistics vehicles to reach all remote areas where mining activities are being carried out unchecked.
“Illegal mining does not take place in the city centres but in the remote areas with very little or no roads and for you to monitor, you need personnel, who are qualified, motivated, energised and well-regulated.
“Federal mines offices are supposed to be equipped with vehicles and personnel. They are supposed to have sufficient running cost to do the job. But the reverse is the case.”
Olatunji also observed that most of the mines offices across the nation are poorly staffed which causes serious problems in their operations.
“For a government to be talking seriously of curbing illegal mining, they need to increase the staff strength of the mining inspectorate units.
“One of the things we are pushing is that the staff in that unit, should be treated like those in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on a separate salary scale, so that when people are properly regulated, they will surely do the work well,” he said.
Olatunji allayed the fears about borehole drilling and earthquakes, asserting that borehole drilling does not have any relationship with earthquakes. He warned, however, that indiscriminate drilling of boreholes have environmental consequences.
