The Federal Government had revoked 1,633 mining licenses of those that defaulted in the payment of annual service fees in 2023.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, disclosed this in his New Year Goodwill Message to Nigerians in Lagos on Monday.
He said more revocation of mining license is underway for other categories of defaulters in 2024.
“The Federal Government was prioritising value addition for prospective investors in the mining sector, adding that the era of carting away their resource was over.
“The era of just carting away our resources is over. We want to see practical plans to develop these raw materials into finished products or plans to add value to host communities before we even license new operators.
“This is pertinent, so that the mining sector can lead the way in industrialization, create massive jobs for our teeming young population, and contribute substantially to economic development in the new year.
“Our plans to tackle the menace of insecurity in mining areas alongside the activities of illegal miners through a rejigged security architecture is well on course.
“In a short while, we will see the result of months of engagement with heads of security agencies, as we are poised to rout those plundering Nigeria’s mineral resources,” he said.
The minster said the plans would make the mining sector to experience a major leap in 2024 toward contributing to increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Alake explained that it was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of diversifying the economy through renewed focus through the solid minerals.
“On our part in the solid minerals development ministry, we will be consolidating on reforms that commenced with our ambitious seven-point agenda, on assumption of office, four months ago” he said.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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