The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS has stressed the need for adequate funding of mine offices with qualified staff and logistics to check the menace of illegal mining in the country.
The President, Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, Prof. Akinade Olatunji, made the call during a press conference to mark the 255th Council Meeting of the society in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Friday.
According to him, activities of illegal mining in the country have affected the economy and caused environmental degradation of the nation, stressing that it should not be allowed to continue.
He called on proper funding and equipping of all federal mines offices across the federation with logistics vehicles to reach all remote areas where mining activities are being carried out.
“Illegal mining does not take place in the city centres but in the remote areas with very little or no motorable roads and for you to monitor, you need personnel, who are qualified, motivated, energised and well-regulated.
“Federal mines offices are supposed to be equipped with vehicles and personnel. They are supposed to have sufficient running cost to do the job, but reverse is the case.
“Most of the mines offices are poorly staffed, in fact, this is one the biggest problem we have been shouting, they are poorly staffed.
“For a Government to be talking seriously of curbing illegal mining, they need to increase the staff strength of the mining inspectorate units.
“One of the things we are pushing is that the staff in that unit, should be treated like those in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on a separate salary scale, because when people are properly regulated, they will surely do the work well.
“Government must stop playing leap service on stopping illegal mining activities in the country but should fund the mining offices properly.
“As a society, we frowned at illegal mining because its denied the nation of revenue, denied our people of jobs and is also devastating the environment.
“If illegal mining is not curtailed we will continue to see vast waste land not useful for any other thing,” Olatunji said.
He however warned against indiscriminate drilling of boreholes as it has severe environmental consequences.
He allayed the fears that borehole drilling was the cause of earthquake, stressing that such activities has no relationship with earthquake.
