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.

Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Erin-ile     SARS     Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     ARMTI     Baba Idris     Micheal Imoudu     Abubakar Abdullahi Bata     Moshood Bakare     Dumagi     CT Ayeni     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     Ebola     Tinubu     Wole Oke     Alikinla     Kwara Central     Abdulrazaq Magaji     Akeem Olatunji     Kumbi Titiloye     Computer Based Test     Aminu Ado Bayero     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Christopher Odetunde     Lanre Jimoh     Saka Saadu     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     Ibrahim Taiwo Road     Afonja Descendants Union     Kale Ayo     Nnazua     Agboola Abdulraheem     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Aliyu Alhassan     Sulaiman Gado     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Bashiru Makama     Rex Olawoye     Chief Imam Of Offa     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Innocent Okoye     Oro Grammar School     Sanitation Exercise     Kunle Okeowo     Abdulrazaq Akorede     Oke-Ogun     Police Commissioner     Olofa Of Offa     AGF Abdulrazaq     NaAllah     GGDSS Pakata     Jare Olatundun     Adijat Adebiyi     Babaloja-General     Waheed Ibrahim     Lithium     Wasiu Odewale     Olam Food Ingredients     Ramadan     Ayedun     Yahaya A Paniyaro     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Sadiq Umar     Taofeeq Olateju     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Niyi Ogundiran     Adama Isa     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Onikijipa     Ilota    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Justina Oha     Nigerian Army     Ilorin South Constituency     Bello Bature     Bukola Saraki     Senate President     Agbarigidoma     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Nigerian Medical Association     Amuda Musbau     Maimunat Oloriegbe     PharmAccess Foundation     Kwara Politics     Mahfouz Adedimeji     MalHub     Garba Idris Ajia     Mazars Consulting     Olatomiwa Williams     IHS     Obuh     Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman     MAI Akande     Kale Ayo     ASMAU PLAZA     IQRA College     Tayo Awodiji     Osi     Maimunat Oniyangi     Alloy Chukwuemeka     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Aisha Buhari     Abubakar Ndakene     Kwara Liberation Group     JAAC     Amusement Park     Lawal Olohungbebe     CCEPE     Omupo     Dairo Kunle Paul     Kale Bayero     Muhammed Danjuma     Raymond Olaitan     Elerin Of Erin-Ile     Roseline Oni Aremu     Baba Idris     Neo Mundo Ltd     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Yomi Adeboye     Lukman Adeloyin     Shehu Raheem Adaramaja     Afolabi-Oshatimehin Adenike Harriet     Farouk Salim     Haliru Yahaya     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Seun Bolaji     IF-K     Tunji Arosanyin     George Innih     Salihu S. Yaru     Alabe     Bukola Ajikobi     Mufutau Olatinwo     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Al-Hikmah University     Bello Taoheed Abubakar     Olomu     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu     Bayo Ajia     Basit Olatunji     Ndakene     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Oyun     Rapheal Ashaolu     Chief Of Staff     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi