The Benue State Government has put a temporary halt to all mining operations, pending the completion of a comprehensive data collection on miners.
Governor Hyacinth Alia made this directive during a meeting with the Benue Chapter of the Miners Association of Nigeria in Makurdi, the state capital.
The governor instructed the Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO) to start compiling detailed information on all mining participants in the state immediately.
He said the move was to revalidate miner data stems from concerns over security and the negative impact on water sources in communities, particularly in Kwande.
The governor called on security forces and the joint task force to ensure compliance with regulations to protect residents’ welfare and boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“Our administration is committed to safeguarding the lives and properties of our citizens and will not condone any illegal activities,” he said.
The State Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr Fidelis Mnyim, emphasized that Governor Alia’s stance is not anti-mining but aimed at curbing illegal operations within the sector.
Mnyim, who also serves as the MIREMCO chairman, revealed the development of a checklist to oversee the mining industry in Benue.
John Tersugh, the Chairman of the Nigeria Miners Association in Benue, expressed readiness to work with the governor to clean up the mining sector.
Similarly, Simon Ogwu, a Mining officer from the Federal Ministry of Mining and Solid Minerals, pledged federal support for the state’s efforts to regulate mining activities.
The association members urged the governor to tackle the challenge of multiple taxation and to provide essential mining equipment to aid their work, aiming to increase the state’s revenue generation.
