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.

Gobir Organization Foundation     Oniye     Aisha Gobir     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Aso-ofi     Aliyu Salihu     Mukhtar Shagaya     KWSUED     Lanwa     Zara Umar     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Taofeek Sanusi     Offa Descendants Union     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Bukola Saraki     Sabo-Oke     Shola Odetundun     CT Ayeni     Saka Aleshinloye     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Kanu Agabi     Ekiti     Lukman Adeloyin     Shonga Farm Project     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Tunde Akanbi     Baba Issa Awoye     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Muhammed Danjuma     Azeez Salawu     Moji Makanjuola     Funmilayo Zubair     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Olayinka Are     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Sulu Gambari     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu     Abdulmumini AbdulRazaq     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     ASMAU PLAZA     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Mumeen Lah     ER-KANG     Tsaragi/Share     Isiaka AbdulRazaq     Apaokagi     Sanitation Exercise     Gbemi Saraki     Simon Sayomi     Shehu Adaramaja     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Bankole Omisore     Musibau Akanji     Saeedat Aliyu     Emir Of Kano     Moses Rahman Popoola     Saadu Yusuf     Ike Ekweremadu     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Okin Biscuit     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Senate President     Abubakar Imam     Mohammed Abdulahi     Okoolowo     Face Masks     Lithium Deposit     Esinrogunjo     Chief Imam Of Offa     Abdulrazaq Akorede     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Just Event Online     Principal Private Secretary    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Age AbdulKareem     Principal Private Secretary     Bukola Saraki     Erubu     Umar Saro     Kunle Akogun     Sheikh Alimi     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Quarry Royal Valley     Yakubu Danladi     Odogun Olushola Gabriel     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     Akanji     KWIRS     Lithium Deposit     Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi     Okin Malt     Kazeem Gbolagade     Ilorin Like-Minds     Ahmed Idris Mohammed     Minimum Wage     Wahab Femi Agbaje     Najim Yaasin     Aliyu Umar     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Femtech     Yusuf Olaolu Ali     Overland     NIPR     Oloje     Shero     Voices Of Tomorrow     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     AGM Professional Services     Aremu Odolaye     CLAY POT     Okin Biscuit     Mohammed Abdulahi     Arinola Lawal     International Public Sector Accounting Standards     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Asa     Lotus Bank     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Emir Of Yashikira     Saba Mamman Daniel     Shehu Jimoh     Oke-Ode     Lanre Issa Onilu     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     JMK Construction Company Limited     Tsaragi/Share     Ilorin Anchor Men And Women     SUBEB     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     Funmilayo Zubair     Oyin-Zubair     Revenue Court     Afonja     Umar Adelodun     Muhammadu Buhari     CT Ayeni     John Olajide Adedipe     University Road     Abdulazeez Arowona     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd     Olayinka Olaogun     Saidu Isa     Risikat Lawal     Saka Keji     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Amada Jidda     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Magaji Are