Malam Abdullahi Abbas , the Plateau Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral Development, has called on the Federal Government to consider allowing states to control mining activities within their jurisdiction.

Abbas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that not much would be achieved in the mining sector if it remained on the exclusive list, saying this had relegated host states to mere spectators.

He spoke on the sidelines of a Consultative Meeting on Validation of a Roadmap for the Solid Minerals Sector.

While commending ongoing efforts by the Federal Government toward developing the sector through involvement of all stakeholders, he stressed the need for a deeper involvement of the states to inject a sense of seriousness and urgency into the steps to boost the sector.

He regretted that mining had remained exclusively a Federal Government affair, making it difficult for states to tap from huge potential deposited in their domain.

“It is this situation that is largely responsible for the collapse of the sector.

“We have attended several seminars, workshops and meetings; we have talked and talked, but recorded little or no impact.

“Allowing state governments to go into mining directly without any hindrance holds the key to the success of the development plan in the sector,” he said.

The commissioner noted that many minerals were available in Plateau, but “little has been achieved because of the obstacle.’’

“If this obstacle is removed, I assure you that Plateau will be one of the richest states in Nigeria, ” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr Olasunpo Sashore, a former justice commissioner in Lagos State, suggested that federal and state governments must partner in developing the sector.

Sashore described as “very unhealthy’’ the rivalry between state and the federal governments on mining activities, stressing that the situation had constituted “a serious challenge militating the growth of the solid minerals sector.’’

He identified other challenges affecting the sector to include low domestic and foreign investment as well as infrastructure gap. (NAN)

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States should control mining activities not FG – Plateau commissioner