- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has revealed plan to embark on forensic auditing of the mining sector.
He made this known during a meeting with Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, yesterday.
As contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Segun Tomori, the Minister disclosed partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology to aid satellite imaging necessary to monitor activities at mining sites.
“I can reveal that we are going to embark on a forensic audit of the entire sector.
“We are collaborating with the Ministry of Science and Technology on satellite imaging, in line with the directive of Mr. President.
“This will assist in monitoring activities at mining sites and consequently bolster our capacity to effectively secure the mining environment,” Alake said.
While seeking collaboration with Plateau State government, Alake further revealed plan to create an Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Fund that will be saddles with the responsibility of covering and converting abandoned mining pits.
“We are working towards creating an Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Fund to establish a pool of resources that can be used for remediation efforts.
“This includes covering or converting abandoned pits, which pose a danger to our citizens and communities, into productive uses like irrigation” the Minister added.
In his reaction, Mutfwang commended the minister’s effort in improving the mining sector, especially in terms of security.
He urged the minister to ensure proper integration of mining marshals into the state’s security network to stay abreast of their activities while hoping the state can leverage on the Federal Government’s ecological funds to remedy abandoned mining sites.