Governor Alia explained that the decision to conduct the revalidation exercise was due to reports of security threats.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has directed the immediate suspension of all mining activities in the state over the exacerbating state of insecurity.
Alia who gave the directive on Thursday during a meeting with the Benue chapter of the Miners Association of Nigeria in Makurdi, said the suspension was to allow the compilation of miners’ data.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the governor also directed the Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO) to commence the documentation of the data of all miners in the state.
Governor Alia explained that the decision to conduct the revalidation exercise was due to reports of security threats.
He also frowned on the contamination of water sources for residents in the affected areas, especially in Kwande.
The governor enjoined security agencies and the joint task force on illegal mining to ensure that the right thing was done to enhance the well-being of the people and increase the Internally Generated Revenue.
“The state government will not tolerate any illegality. It is our administration’s prerogative to protect the lives and property of the people,” he said.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr Fidelis Mnyim, said Gov Alia was not against mining but wanted to check illegal mining activities.
Mnyim, who is also the chairman of MIREMCO, said the state has come up with a checklist that would be used to scrutinise the mining sector in Benue.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Miners Association in Benue, John Tersugh, promised to cooperate with the governor to sanitise the mining sector.
Similarly, the mining officer in the Federal Ministry of Mining and Solid Minerals, Mr Simon Ogwu, promised to work with the state government to clean up the sector.
Two miners, Benjamin Nyior and Dennis Tarhemba, called for a conducive working environment to enable them to carry out their activities effectively.
Meanwhile, some members of the association, during the meeting appealed to the governor to address the issue of multiple taxation within the industry and provide necessary mining equipment to assist them in contributing to the revenue profile of the state.
