In the bid to reposition the state’s mining sector for enhanced revenue generation Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has organised a two-day stakeholders’ forum aimed at exploring revenue generation strategies in the state’s mining sector and identify opportunities for sustainable development.
While opening the consultative forum with key stakeholders on Emerging Reforms in Nigeria’s Mining Sector at the Banquet Hall, Government House in Jos, the Governor expressed the urgent need to revamp the state’s mineral resources.
Displaying samples of various minerals being exploited, Governor Muftwang emphasised that Plateau State, endowed with vast natural resources, should not be counted among Nigeria’s poor states.
He expressed concern over the history of mineral exploration in the state, revealing that despite billions generated from mining activities, only about N500 million was sometimes declared as annual proceeds. The governor lamented the disparity and stressed the need for a comprehensive road map to ensure fair and transparent mining operations that benefit all parties involved.
Governor Mutfwang further underscored the importance of resource control and called on security personnel to resist the temptations posed by illegal mining. He urged them to conduct their duties with patriotism in order to ensure that the state’s resources are protected for the benefit of its people.
The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, cautioned traditional rulers against actions that diminish the value of land in the state. He described land as a crucial asset for development and called for its preservation.
He linked the country’s insecurity and health challenges to illegal mining activities and criticized the irrational manner in which some traditional rulers grant land approvals for such activities. The paramount ruler warned that the traditional council, in collaboration with the state government, would no longer tolerate these practices.
Commissioner of Environment, Climate Change, and Mineral Development, Hon. Peter Lamba Gwom, noted that the history of mining in Nigeria is deeply rooted in Plateau State. He lamented that while minerals extracted from the state have contributed to the development of other parts of the country, as well as nations, Plateau has been left with hazardous ponds that now serve as death traps and called for urgent reclamation.