Mining: Why States Should Be Allowed to Control Resources, Governor Ishaku Reveals
- Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state has urged the federal government to consider constitution review over mining
- Ishaku said that mining should be put in the concurrent list to allow state governors to harness the resources
- According to him, the federal government has turned deaf ears despite that he and his counterparts from other states have offered a solution to the issue
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Jalingo, Taraba - Darius Ishaku, the governor of Taraba state has called for the constitution review concerning the mining rights in the country.
The governor lamented that mining is under the federal government’s control under the law, adding that its exclusivity is worrisome and should be reviewed to promote the development of the sector, Channels TV reports.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng gathered that Ishaku said the governors across the country have proffered solutions to the federal government in order to have a win-win situation, saying that the government has paid deaf ears to their suggestions.
Governors must be allowed to control state resources
Ishaku made the comment while inaugurating the governing council of the Taraba state College of Agriculture at the Government House in Jalingo on Saturday, June 26.
He said:
“The mineral that is below the ground belongs to the Federal Government, but I have the right on the surface of the ground. So how do you go under the ground without calling on the landowner to access it?
“That is the crux of the matter. And it hasn’t been resolved. The exclusivity of mining to the federal government is one of those things that people who are calling for the review of the constitution, among the several.
“So we find ourselves in this tight corner. Some of us have proffered so many solutions, as to how we can go about this to achieving a win-win solution for both the federal and state governments.”
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President Buhari vows to deal with illegal mining in Nigeria
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has discovered that criminals have infiltrated the mining industry in the country.
It was reported that Buhari made this known on Tuesday, March 16, while declaring open the 56th annual international conference and exhibition of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The president said since most mining activities were taking place in remote places, it was easy for criminals to infiltrate the mining industry.
Buhari added that the money made from the industry was being used to fund criminal activities to the detriment of the economy of the country and its security.
The president stated that apart from the security implications of the criminals on the economy, their actions were affecting the security of lives and property of the people in many ways.
Source: Legit.ng
