Constitution preventing states from exploring minerals - Ahmed

Date: 2017-07-10

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has said Nigeria's constitution is an impediment to state governments in Nigeria to mine and explore mineral deposits in their respective states.

He stated that this development had inhibited the states from increasing their internally-generated revenue and creating employment opportunities through the development and harnessing of solid minerals in their areas.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Musa Yeketi, spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during the installation of Prof. Silas Dada as the 29th President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society on Sunday.

He explained that Section 44 (3) of the 1999 Constitution vested the Federal Government with the ownership and control of all minerals, oils and natural gas in Nigeria.

He added that the Second Schedule, Part 1, Item 39 of the Exclusive List in the 1999 Constitution restricted state governments from developing their respective mining potential.

Ahmed said, "The availability of solid minerals in Nigeria presents state governments with the opportunity to increase their internally-generated revenue for themselves, reduce dependence on FG's (revenue) allocation and create employment for our teeming youth population. However, the constitution appears to hobble this possibility.

"This creates a situation whereby states have limited authority over mining activities in their domain and are often required to purchase expensive licences from the Federal Government with no guarantee of returns or successful exploitation of mineral resources."

But Dada said the FG was now willing to encourage active participation of state governments in exploration and mining activities if the state governments were willing.

He said, "Nothing stops any state in Nigeria now from forming a private company, joining with that private company and mining.

"The problem we have in the state is because government is at the back of it, accountability is an issue. But if you do it like a business, you allow the private sector to do it as business and make profit, then there will not be a problem."

Dada said Nigeria's abundant natural resources should not be a curse to the nation. He stated that though Nigeria had a large deposit of oil, if properly managed, solid mineral resources-driven development is the best growth opportunity for the country.

He urged the Federal Government to get the Natural Resources Management policy chain right.

He stated that the NRM policy chain should be adequately developed by setting up strong policies in every area of income generation and investment.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Yakubu Dogara     Sarkin Malamai     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Kwarareports     Issa Oloruntogun     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Folorunsho Alao     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Sheikh Ariyibi     Adedipe     Zaratu Umar     Aliyu Umar     CCEPE     Royal FM     Mazars Consulting     IF-K     Ilorin Amusement Park     Atiku     Farouk Salim     Special Adviser On Digital Innovation     High Court     Abdulazeez Arowona     Coronavirus     David Oyedepo     Mogaji Aare     Sulyman Tejidini     Innocent Okoye     Hajj     Surajudeen Akanbi     Eghe Igbinehin     Naira Redesign     Patigi Regatta     NNPP     Olofa Of Offa     Umar Saro     Aisha Gobir     S.O. Opowoye     Isa Aremu     Ogidi-Oloje     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Abdulrahman Abdulrazak     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Magaji Nda     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Olokoba     Jalala     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Ahman Pategi University     Ubandoma Of Ilorin     Okedare     Federal Allocation     Danhawa     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Sanusi Abubakar     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Agbarigidoma     Turaki Of Ilorin     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Bahago     Durbar Festival     Lanre Aremu     Kwara Consultative Forum     Kwabes     Shoprite     Kwara 2023     Modibo Kawu     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Ayodele Shittu     Olaiya Zuberu     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     Lawyers Unite Against Corruption    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Oba Of Jebba     Abdulkarim Adisa     Adama Isa     Yoruba     Tanke Flyover Bridge     Kamaldeen Ajibade     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Olaitan Adefila     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Ilesha-Gwanara     Idris Garba     Muhammad Yahya     Shehu Alimi Foundation     Yomi Adeboye     Jani Ibrahim     National Union Of Road Transport Workers     Tuesday Assayomo     Tricycle Owners Association Of Nigeria     Okala Baba     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Salaudeen Oyewale     Yunus Oniboki     Makama Of Ilorin     Yekini Adio     Salman Jawondo     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Durosinlohun Atiku     TESCOM     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Ambassador Kayode Laro     Folaranmi Aro     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Kayode Zubair     Nigerian Army     Lanre Issa Onilu     V.O. Abioye     Abdulwahab Ololele     Yusuf Abdulraheem     Funmilayo Zubair     Kassim Babamale     Ishaq Salman     Sadiq Umar     Obasanjo     Inside Kwara     Ladi Hassan     Labour Party     Mustapha Akanbi     Eruku     Garba Ado Sanni     Balogun Ajikobi     Bello Abubakar     Iyiola Oyedepo     Lukman Adeloyin     Bayo Onimago     Osi     Maigida     Oja-Oba     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Col. Taiwo     Igosun     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Yahaya Jibril Usman     Odolaye Aremu     Lanre Badmus     Just Law Forum     Olokoba Sulyman     Ramadhan     Yoonus Kola Olatinwo     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Kwabes     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Ilorin Emirate     Amuda Aluko     2017 Budget