"Encourage illegal miners to operate legally," University don urges FG

Prof Kalu Mosto-Onuoha, the Vice President, Nigerian Academic of Science, has urged the Federal Government to work with state governments to encourage and register miners across the country to operate legally.

Mosto-Onuoha made the call on Saturday, while delivering a lecture at the maiden convocation at the Federal University, Lafia in Nasarawa State, titled: "Creating Wealth from Solid Mineral Resources.’’

According to him, if this is done, their activities can be monitored and it would contribute meaningfully to positive environmental and socio-economic development of the nation.

``Activities of artisanal and illegal miners should be formally recognised in order to bring them to the formal status of the sector and allow them to perform their duties efficiently and effectively.

``The government should organise the artisanal operators, land owners, and local authorities into cooperative bodies or stakeholders of the ventures with the government being involved in the supervision of the operations,” he said.

Mosto-Onuoha said Nigeria should emulate countries like South Africa and other nations, which encouraged mining and witnessed economic growth; enhance revenue through export earnings, taxes, royalties and job creation.

``Before the advent of oil exploration, the solid minerals sub-sector contributed immensely to the economic growth of the country through the exportation of coal, gold, tin, columbite, zink among others, so what went wrong,” he queried.

He said the federal government could create wealth and generate employment if it shifted attention to mining agriculture, tourism and other sources as the price of crude oil continues to fall.

Earlier, Prof Ekanem Braide, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the institution established in 2011, was able to organise its maiden convocation following co-operation among staff of the university, parents, students and host community.

The VC said that the graduates produced by the university were not only employable but would become employers of labour.