From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Chairman Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee, MIREMCO, Benue State, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim, has stated that the presence of illegal miners in the State and improper report of mining activities in the State that has denied the State of royalty and the 13 percent derivatives.
Barr. Mnyim, who is the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, stated this while briefing newsmen on Friday in Makurdi.
The Committee chairman who disclosed that Benue State has 34 mineral deposits out of a total of 44 mineral deposits in the country, He lamented that in spite of the large deposit of mineral resources in the state, it has not drawn commiserate benefits especially from 13 percent derivatives.
He said Benue state only gets in the region of 30 million from the 13 percent derivatives, attributing this to exploitative activities of illegal miners as well as insecurity.
“Benue has no excuse to get such amount. But there is a problem, the presence of illegal miners in the State, the problem of improper report of mining activities in the State has denied the State royalty and the 13 percent derivatives.
“It is quite unfortunate that our 13 percent derivative is very very low. There are several miners who are inactive in the State. Most persons will just go and get licences and not do anything. There are other persons who are operating without licences and there are some with licences but have failed to operate with certain requirements for instance payment of surface rent, execution of community development agreement which include maintenance of roads, provision of water and several other incentives.
“The Committee is created under the mineral and mining act 2009 particularly section 19. The State has the opportunity to benefit from the act bearing in mind that the issue of solid minerals is in the exclusive list and the State governments benefit from section of the act.
“What this committee do is an advisory to the Minister of Solid Mineral Dele Alake. The committee is to liaise and create synergy between the Federal Government, the State and the host community to see how the mineral resources are properly developed and harnessed. The presence of the committee is to ensure and take very deliberate step in ensuring that the IGR of the State is also increased.
“And how will the State IGR be increased, we have a window to take back from the State 13 percent derivatives which is through royalty payment. So, our duty is to look into this synergy and ensure that mineral resources are fully developed in the State. Upon assumption of office by the Governor and having been impressed by the minerals in Benue State, he made an executive order stopping all illegal mining activities in the State.
“He quickly set up a task force which carried out a thorough job exposing and making concerns and suggestions for the State to work with. Now, that the committee is in place in addition to other responsibilities, we are to pick a portion of the report, look into it and see how mineral resources can be fully developed in Benue state.
“We will be setting up a desk office which will ensure that all who have mining licences and the persons operating are registered and to ensure that proper royalty is paid to the FG and for the purpose of the State, it’s 13 percent derivatives.
“We are also to ensure proper licencing for import and export of these mineral resources as well as ensure that proper environmental impact assessment is done. A desk office will be established for proper documentation for miners, to address challenges of legal miners with the host communities. among other issues.MIREMCO is also opened to investors both local and foreign”, he said.