JUST IN: FG strikes to overview mining license charges
The Federal Government, by means of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, has introduced plans to overview charges of mining licenses and different sundry charges payable by mining operators within the nation.
Speaking throughout a consultative assembly with stakeholders within the mining trade on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, harassed that the overview has turn out to be inevitable if authorities is to successfully fulfil its obligations of offering an enabling surroundings for mining operations while additionally elevating extra income for presidency.
He added that the plan would additionally increase the capability of presidency to successfully reposition the mining sector and solicited the assist of stakeholders for the approaching enhance in charges for mining licenses and different sundry charges.
Highlighting efforts to reposition the mining trade, the Minister revealed that asides from on-going reforms, the administration is sanitising the mining surroundings by means of the newly unveiled mining marshals, which he affirmed has been conducting operations in elements of the nation to guard authentic miners and fight unlawful mining.
The minister in a press release signed by his particular assistant on media, Segun Tomori stated, “For us to proceed to make sure that we safe the mining surroundings and preserve setting up measures that can ease the operational difficulties and challenges that confront miners, we have to overview the charges of mining licenses and different sundry charges.
“We felt that we can’t just do this without letting you know because invariably, you are the players in the industry.”
Concerning the latest revocation of dormant mining licenses, the Minister famous that the federal government adopted due course of and extant legal guidelines guiding the motion, emphasising {that a} 30-day restitution window nonetheless exists for operators that had been affected.
It might be recalled that the Minister introduced a restitution payment of N10m, 7.5m, 5m and a pair of.5m for Mining Leases, Small Scale Mining Licenses, Exploration License and Quarrying License respectively for revoked dormant licenses together with these earlier revoked for default in cost of annual service charges.
In his submission, the Director-General of the Mining Cadastral Office, Engr. Obadiah Nkom, who additionally chair the charges overview committee, said that the committee really useful new charges which can be reasonably priced and can improve the competitiveness of the fiscal regime of the mining sector compared with regional and international requirements.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, the President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Dele Ayanleke recommended the Minister for his efforts to place the mining sector on international frontburner, expressing assist for ongoing reforms and plans to overview charges payable by operators.
He urged the minister to contemplate challenges confronted by miners and make sure the charges are reasonably priced.
Other stakeholders in attendance embrace Representatives of Women In Mining, Gemstone Miners Association and prime officers of the ministry.
