The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has revealed that miners and operators in the sector are owing the Federal Government more than N2 trillion.
Alake also stressed that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to halt the activities of illegal miners across the country.
The minister also described the activities of illegal miners as a huge crime against Nigeria and Nigerians, which he said, was unacceptable.
Alake who made this known during a meeting with Licensed Minerals Holders, Laterite/Sand Operators Dealers in Kaduna State, on Thursday, February 1, said, “Miners and Operators owed the federal government more than N2 trillion while in Kaduna State, it’s over N300 billion.”
“We have made it very clear that in Kaduna State, every operator should make bold steps and clear their debt,” the minister, represented by the Acting Zonal Mines Officer, North-West Zonal Office, Kutman Hosea Ali, said.
Meanwhile, the minister has directed the Special Mines Taskforce activated in Kaduna State to clamp down on illegal miners and nonpayment of royalties which must be paid monthly as well as other taxes to the Federal Government.
The Special Mines Surveillance Taskforce is comprised of members from the Nigeria Army, Police, Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, Department of State Security Services, SSS, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, while the team is headed by Mines officers in the state.
Alake likewise faulted the non-remittance of money collected as royalties and taxes on mineral resources to the federal government, warning that defaulting states would henceforth be penalized.
According to him, mining is on the exclusive list as such it is only controlled by the federal government while the state and local governments are not allowed to collect royalties or any mining tax.
“Let me clarify it, state government and local government are entitled to collect other taxes such as ground rent and other taxes but they are not to collect royalty and tax on mining
“Any state government or any local government that collects money in the name of Royalty or Mineral Tax will be deducted from the source allocated to the State.
“The Special Mines Taskforce has been activated in Kaduna State and they had commenced operation on the war against illegal Mining and nonpayment of royalties which must be paid monthly as well as other taxes to the Government of Nigeria,” the minister added.
He warned miners and operators against going to the field without a mining license while noting that those who had obtained their license should report to the Mines Office, Kaduna to collect permit to mobilize to site.
The minister said the purpose of the meeting was to unveil the ministry’s plan for miners and operators for 2024 and beyond.
Alake explained that the mining sector under the administration of President Tinubu was given a top priority, noting that the importance of the meeting cannot be overemphasized.
The Chairman of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Kaduna branch, Ado Dogo, represented by the Secretary of the association, Kashim Hussaini, in his remark said the interface between miners and the regulators became imperative.
He decried what he termed the interference of state governors in mining activities while stressing the need for state governors to respect the laws guiding mining activities in their various states.
“We as miners know we are operating within a state, local government, and even down to villages but sometimes, state governors can stop you from working. Meanwhile, this mining operation is what we are doing by contributing to the federation account,” he said.
