FG to set up mineral buying centres

The federal government has said it will establish minerals buying centres across the country to ensure minerals are properly priced and sold. It said that without the centres, underground sales had robbed both the local miners and country of expected financial gains.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, made the disclosure at Muye Kafinkoro Village in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.

He was on a visit to a mining site where illegal mining recently lives.

He decried a situation where Nigeria’s solid mineral resources were exported and sold back to the country at exorbitant rates.

While addressing the local miners in the village, the minister said that his ministry would abide by laid down procedures, urging miners to cooperate with government.

“Whenever the minerals buying centres are set up in your locality, patronise it,” said.

“It is not good for us to take gold out of Nigeria and get it registered as activities claimed had four gold from Niger, Togo or Ghana. You will even get a better patronage when you take your minerals to the buying centres.”

Fayemi during the visit, restated the need for state and local governments to commence registration of artisanal miners operating in their domain to ensure safer mining environment and improved revenue.

He said that illegal mining activities threatened big miners’ interest, adding that the country would protect big miners.

Fayemi told the big miners that Nigeria was a safe mining destination.