From David Adenuga Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor , Sen. Bala Mohammed has urged the Federal Government to establish a robust funding mechanism to enable genuine miners access financial interventions.
The governor gave the advice when the Minister of State, Mining and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson paid him a visit at the Council Chamber, Government House Bauchi.
According to him, giving financial assistance to genuine miners would go a long way towards reducing, tackling and discouraging illegal mining operations in the country.
The governor said his administration would support the Federal Government harness its abundant natural resources for economic development adding that the state government is working to create some value chains around many mining opportunities of the state to increase its revenue generation.
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The governor , however, expressed concern that both the State and the Federal Government are not benefiting from them because of the activities of illegal miners and advocated for community engagement to overcome the situation.
Oh his part, the minister said the officials of the Ministry were in Bauchi for a sensitization visit in line with the economic diversification agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister told Governor Bala Mohammed that collaboration between states and the federal government as well as community leaders was imperative to smooth mining operations in Nigeria.
He said the Federal Ministry of Mining and Steel Development was already promoting the mineral potentials of Bauchi State to serious mining investors who are willing to invest in the state.
The minister added that the Federal Government had approved a 13 percent derivation for revenue generated through mining to all the states of the federation to encourage collection of mining tax in states.
