Stakeholders in the mining sector in Nigeria Tuesday declared their support for the establishment of Solid Minerals Special Task Force (SMSTF) to control illegal mining activities in the country.
The miners said the Nigerian government loses above $3billion revenue to solid minerals theft and illegal mining activities.
They said through spokesperson of the mining stakeholders in the country, Alhaji Mohammed Abba Liman, the chief executive officer of Daroo Nigeria Ltd, in Abuja, who had a chat with newsmen.
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Liman said: “The Solid Minerals Special Task Force (SMSTF), which the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, set up is a welcome development.
“It is very important because it is going to drastically reduce, if not stop the continuous stealing of our solid minerals and the activities of illegal mining in our country.
“The Nigerian economy is losing above $3billion annually to illegal mining activities, a situation whereby our mineral resources such as gold, tin, diamond, lithium, and other precious stones are being illegally excavated and exported outside Nigeria by Nigerians and foreigners”, he said.
He said from North-west, North-east, North-central, South-west in particular, Nigerian solid mineral resources are being frittered away the way criminal elements steal oil in the Niger Delta.
