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The umbrella body coordinating the affairs of miners in the country, Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on Federal and State governments to intensify efforts aimed at addressing challenges of funding, multiple control and taxation bedeviling the sector, adding that illegal mining, inter-agency rivalry and infrastructural inadequacy are still problems that need to be adequately addressed.
The Association made the call in a communique issued at the end of its 2018 Annual General Meeting held in Abuja, recently. Signed byAlh Sani Shehu and Comr Dele Ayanleke, National President and General Secretary respectively, the association commended the federal government for itsdetermination to address the challenges but noted that greater force of will must be exercised in order to achieve set goals.
In his report to delegates, the National President discussed other the challenges militating against the realization of set goals saying that “policy inconsistency” and “undue interference from states and local governments” have negatively impacted the sector.
While he explained that the association adopted the strategy of advocacy through engagement of the press as well as via interpersonal engagement of policy makers and the organised private sector, he said that there are positive developments for which the Nigerian mining sector is gaining increased relevance in the committee of mining nations.
“There are some positive developments in the sector as a result of the advocacy of the Miners Association of Nigeria,” he said, adding that the establishment of FG/BoI intervention loan for ASM operators at 5% interest rate with a repayment period of ten years is one of the results of the advocacies of MAN. The president said some financial institutions have also established friendly funding windows aimed at providing facility for execution of mining projects in the country.
Sani also commended the government for being responsive to clarion calls made by the association. He said government has appointed some experienced members who are members of MAN into positions in government that will make it possible for them to share their experiences and contribute to solving the challenges of the sector.
“Yes, some of our members who have been in the business of mining for years were appointed as Special Assistants, Special Advisers and even as Chairmen of MIREMCO in some states of the federation.”THE TRUTH recalls that last year, the association called on federal and state governments to “work with miners” in policy formulation and execution adding that miners know best how to solve the problems of the sector especially that “some miners have been in the business of the sector for decades.”
The president called on states of the federation to key into the investment opportunities that will be afforded by the 2018 edition of the Nigeria Mining Week just as he advised corporate and individual members to plan to attend. According to Sani, “The Annual Nigeria Mining Week has become a signature event of the association.”
The congress of one-hundred-and-thirteen delegates drawn from twenty-six chapters across the country commended the president and his team for a successful administrative year.
The commendation culminated in the extension of the tenure of the current National Executive Council by one-hundred-and-eighty days with effect from August 26, 2018 to enable it plan and execute the 2018 edition of the Nigeria Mining Week as well as complete the ongoing restructuring of the chapter.
