FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPROVES 2.5 BILLION NAIRA TO COMBAT ILLEGAL MINING.

The federal government has approved the procurement of a 2.5 billion Naira satellite technology to combat illegal mining activities in Nigeria.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, while addressing newsmen shortly after the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting, emphasizing that the satellite technology is part of an integrated solution framework aimed at addressing unlicensed, unregulated, and under-reported mining operations.

The minister said the technology would assist in reducing illegal mining, which has led to revenue loss, unregulated practices, and the unlawful extraction and exploitation of the nation’s mineral resources.

He explained that his ministry’s efforts to tackle illegal mining involved a two-pronged strategy, including encouraging artisanal miners to form cooperatives, noting that once miners form cooperatives, they become formalized, legal, and more structured, which allows them to add value to the country’s economy.