The Federal Government’s revised guidelines for mining will benefit host communities more, according to the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake.
He said this at the launching of the revised guidelines for Community Development Agreement, CDA in the mining sector on Thursday.
Giving the keynote address at the event, Alake said the guidelines will give host communities maximum benefits from mining operations without rifts and enable operators meet their obligations to the government.
According to him, the objective is also to ensure government derives maximum benefits from the exploitation of the mineral resources.
Today, in the global market, mineral resources are replacing oil. The world is moving from pollution-based liquid minerals like fossil fuel, hydrocarbons, and the likes to clean energy. Solid minerals constitute clean energy. Gold, bauxite, kaolin, especially the Lithium that has already earned itself a pride of place in the global economy, we have them in abundance, and the sky is the starting point, if we sanitise the environment of our mining sector operation. A crucial part of that is the launch of this revised CDA guidelines, “the Minister buttressed.
Throwing more light on the aim of the revised guidelines, the Minister asserted that mining sector operators will make due profits, host communities will also get maximum beneficiation while the era of government at all levels being shortchanged in taxes and royalties will become a thing of the past.
” The onus falls on us as regulators to play our own part to ensure the enforcement of all thesen guidelines. The host communities must also ensure a free and unfettered environment for smooth operations. The companies, too, must ensure that host communities enjoy the benefits of minerals in the belly of their land. Without peace, there will be no gain for anybody, “Dr. Alake added.
The Minister commended the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development for partnering with the ministry to develop the revised guidelines, which he described as up to date and beneficial to all stakeholders.
Also at the unveiling of the revised guidelines were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Mary Ogbe, Director, Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC), Mrs. Vivian Okon, Executive Director, Centre for Learning and Strategic Development, Mr. Monday Osasah, amongst others.
