The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Tuesday called on the Taraba state government to immediately free detained 48 miners it jailed over what it termed illegal mining activities in the state
Its President, Dele Ayanleke, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, said among the so-called illegal miners now in jail in the State, there were seven members of staff of a company with valid Mining Lease, whose operational site was invaded by operatives of the Task Force.
He said the trend of development was not unconnected with the recent administrative transition in most states of the federation, which necessitated changes in the seats of governance
Ayanleke said: “While we appreciate the ambitions of the new leaderships in our various states to accelerate socio-economic development, leveraging on the nature’s endowments within their domains, it is of no less importance to pursue these ambitions within all extant constitutional and legal frameworks in order not to breed anarchy and constitutional crisis that may render their efforts and those of the national government unproductive.
“Not quite long after the swearing-in of the new governors that the mining industry started witnessing an avalanche of Executive Orders, banning mining activities in some states like Ebonyi, Osun, Enugu, Cross River, Taraba and others.”
Ayanleke lamented that Taraba government went as far as setting up a Task Force on illegal mining and deforestation with full authority to arrest, summarily prosecute and sentence anyone found culpable under its own laws.
He said the Association in its resolve to ensure a sanitised mining environment has collaborated with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and its agencies over the years, in the overall interest of the national economy.
Ayanleke noted: “We are, however, of the belief and conviction, that the issue of illegality in the system must be appraised and confronted in the whole. A situation where a group of stakeholders is being stigmatized as the perpetrators of illegality by the holders of coercive machinery of state, is totally unacceptable.
“Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 1(1) of the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA), 2007, place the ownership of mineral resources and mining regulations in Exclusive Legislative List with enough provisions to address the socioeconomic and environmental concerns of the lower tiers of government.”
The president maintained that by the various provisions of the above instruments, the gederal government, through her appropriate agencies, is saddled with the oversight responsibility on any mining and minerals related issues; including, but not limited to, mining titles administration.
He insisted that drawing from the above, Taraba State government, or any other state/local governments for that matter, does not have the competence to determine the legality of any operator; saying such competence resides with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development or any of its agencies, saddled with the various regulatory functions.