The Federal Government will employ satellite technology to monitor mining sites around the country, according to a statement made by Dr. Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
Alake stated that this technology will support the 2,220 members of the Mining Marshal Corps—who are recruited from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—in their efforts to combat illicit mining in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
In order to safeguard Nigeria’s natural riches, these corps members—who are dispersed throughout the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—have furthermore undergone contemporary combat training from the military.
He said, We are introducing some technology, we are not just relying on men and materials alone. The satellite surveillance gadgets we are putting in there is to enable us to see in real-time in all mining sites in Nigeria.”
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“So that when we notice any infraction, very quickly we can deploy the mining marshals to go there so we don’t even have to wait for any interpersonal communication. That reduces the time of knowledge and action.”
“Right now, we depend on people passing intelligence to us but when the satellite surveillance gadget is working, we will be able to see it ourselves. Which is a step forward on the right direction
The minister emphasized that attracting investors, particularly major players, to the sector requires implementing policies and initiatives that secure their investments.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration inherited significant security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, which are prevalent in the solid mineral sector.
Most mining activities occur in forests where these crimes are rampant. The Tinubu administration is committed to sanitizing the sector and repositioning it to significantly contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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According to the minister, collaborative efforts with other government agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Army, and the Police, are being deployed to address these issues swiftly.
Dr. Alake stated that the ministry is determined to ensure the solid minerals sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surpasses that of oil.
He highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is implementing policies and initiatives to diversify the economy and generate more revenue than oil in the near future. This shift is crucial, especially with the global trend towards energy transition, which will reduce the demand for oil.
Dr. Alake noted that Nigeria has critical minerals in commercial quantities across its states needed for energy transition. The ministry is aggressively marketing these resources to attract major investors to the sector.
