NBA-AGC 2022: Illegal Mining As Much Of A Danger As Oil Bunkering — Lalong

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong said critical steps need to be taken to tackle illegal mining which constitutes economic and security challenges to the country in most parts of the North, just as oil bunkering does in the South.

Lalong disclosed this on Monday in a press statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Simon Macham, after his contribution to eliminating oil bunkering in the country at the ongoing Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), held in Lagos State.

He said the losses resulting from illegal mining and carting away of precious solid minerals constitute a huge loss to Governments at all levels.

He observed that due to the focus on crude oil, not much attention is devoted to solid minerals theft thereby leaving illegal miners from within and outside the country to have a field day in ripping off the country and devastating local communities.

Lalong said it is on this ground that he has remained an advocate of the inclusion of solid minerals in both the exclusive and concurrent list in order to enable States properly assert control over mining activities which in many cases result in criminality and provide funding for bandits, terrorists and their collaborators.

Lending his voice on the issue of enhancing the security of lives and properties, Lalong said the quest for State police was germaine and crucial but needs to be guaranteed by factors including the capacity to train, deploy, monitor, and regularly pay the personnel in order to avoid a situation where people with arms are owed salaries and turn out to constitute another security problem.

On the issue of unity and progress in Nigeria, Lalong said there must be a deliberate effort to address the manipulation of religion and ethnicity which according to him have been exploited to the detriment of the diversity and variety they represent.

He noted that under his leadership, Plateau State has made progress in diversifying from dependence on oil proceeds with the empowering of citizens to engage in commercial agriculture, value addition, extension services and leveraging on crops of comparative advantage such as exotic fruits, potatoes, flowers among others which are unique to Plateau State.

He said the government has acquired the Inland Container Terminal and also received approval for the upgrade of the Yakubu Gowon Airport Heipang into an International Cargo Airport for the export of agricultural and other commodities.

Lalong also disclosed that so much has been done to restore peace in Plateau State which has brought back tourism and investors as well as enhanced the creative industry and sports which are synonymous with Jos and contributing significantly to the economy.