Senate’ll ensure equitable spending of N1trn earmarked to revive moribund solid minerals sector

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Chairman, Senate committee on Solid Minerals Development, Ekong Sampson, has said the 10th senate would ensure equitable use of the N1 trillion earmarked in 2025 budget by the Federal Government to revive the moribund solid mineral sector

He said this is part of Federal Government’s effort to diversify the economy by bringing back the vibrant solid minerals sector of the Nigerian economy

Senator Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South, spoke yesterday, while on an oversight function in Jos. He said the amount is already approved in the 2025 budget.

Sampson, who spoke through his deputy, Senator Mustaph Habib, expressed the determination of the 10th Senate to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration which is prepared to revive solid minerals in Nigeria so as to boost economic developments.

Speaking at the Palace of Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, during a visit, he said Jos has the pride of place as a solid mineral sector and called on traditional rulers to check the activities of unlicensed miners who have been exploiting the sector at the expense of real operators in the sector.

The six-man member senate committee on solid minerals development who was in Jos for a day oversight function, pledged its determination to assist the president achieve this objective.

Gbong Gwom Jos told the committee that growing insecurity has continued due to illegal mining activities.

He revealed that young Nigerians in the state were being killed in the mining ponds; even as institutions and other residential buildings were also being threatened due to devastating ponds.

The traditional ruler noted that the hike in foodstuffs in the state was as a result of increasing illegal mining activities, pointing out that the decline in school enrollment in the state was due to mining activities.

He revealed that it was the reason the Plateau State Government activated the Executive Order 001, which has temporarily suspended mining activities in the state.

He, however, revealed that some persons hadn’t stopped mining, in spite of the order.

The monarch equally called on the Senate committee to insist that the Minister of Solid Mineral Development should do the needful in regulating mining activities in Nigeria.

The post Senate’ll ensure equitable spending of N1trn earmarked to revive moribund solid minerals sector appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.