Kayode Fayemi, Minister in charge of solid minerals

The Federal Government will provide land to artisanal miners in the country, to legitimise their trade, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Feyemi, said in Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kayode, who inspected mining sites at Muye Kafinkoro in Paiko Local Government Area of Niger State, said the government was developing a framework to legalise artisenal mining in the country.

“We will encourage them to register, so that government can come to their aid in the area of capacity training, modern equipment and financial assistance to enable them excel in their business,” he added.

Kayode said it was important for the miners to properly organise themselves into cooperative groups, to benefit from various interventions of the federal government to boost the sector.

He said that the ministry would issue mining licences through the cooperatives.

The minister advised the miners to ensure that all dug wells were covered to prevent accidents.

He explained that the registration of cooperatives would also allow the miners to be engaged by registered mining companies to earn decent income.

“Mining must become job creative avenue and revenue generating vehicle for Nigeria,” Kayode said.

The minister frowned at the involvement of children in mining activities, saying government would not condone any form of child labour.

He said the ministry would carefully monitor to prevent the participation of children in the trade, adding that “ the children must be seen in school and not engaged in artisenal mining.”

Kayode called for active participation of local government chairmen and stakeholders in monitoring mining activities in their localities.

(NAN)