FG seeks capital punishment for illegal gold miners

FG seeks capital punishment for illegal gold miners

                        Gold miners

 

The Federal Government has insisted on capital punishment to checkmate illegal mining of gold in the country.

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, spoke when he appeared before the Senate Committee Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy to defend the ministry’s 2022 budget estimates.

The Minister told the lawmakers that N7.3billion is the ministry’s projected internally generated revenue (IGR) for the 2022 fiscal year.

The Minister said the projected N7.3billion in 2022 will be N1.1billion higher than N6.2billion it generated and remitted for 2021.

According to the Minister, N23.4billion has been earmarked for the Ministry and its agencies in 2022 fiscal year.

Out of the amount, N10.3billion is for personnel cost, N1.7billion for overhead and N11.4billion for capital projects.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa South), however challenged the Minister on the projected revenue and the menace of illegal mining in the country.

A member of the committee, Senator Francis Fadaunsi (Osun East), told the Minister that the N7.3billion revenue projections was not impressive against the backdrop of illegal mining happening in the sector with reckless abandonment.

“Your Ministry needs to rise up to the challenge of tackling the menace of illegal mining which is robbing the country nothing less than N100billion on yearly basis.

“What is expected from your Ministry and various agencies under it as IGR on yearly basis is nothing short of N100billion.

“You must liaise with the Ministry of Interior to curtail influx of illegal immigrants , particularly Chinese who have taken over the gold mines across the country even with security backup from Military and Police,” he said.

Other members of the committee like Senators Adelere Oriolowo (Osun West); Orkar Jev (Benue North West) and also tasked the Minister to rise up to the challenge of insecurity and economic sabotage in the sector.

But the Minister said solution for illegal mining in the country lies on required laws and punishment against it which according to him, should come by way of legislation from the National Assembly.

“Required potent laws are needed to confront the menace of illegal mining in the sector in form of capital punishment against offenders as earlier proposed before this Commitee few weeks back.

“We are already collaborating with the office of the Minister of Justice for a bill to that effect,” he said.

On Ajaokuta, he said a Presidential committee is already working on its resuscitation and required memos already submitted to President Buhari for approval.