The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite has said that mining in Zamfara state will resume by the end of the first quarter of year 2020 after the federal government has dispatched a team of surveillance group to bring the illegal activities that have marred the region with chaos and insecurity into order.
The Minister disclosed this in London following the banditry onslaught that was believed to have set activities into confusion in the area, the violence that displaced scores and killed dozens, the federal government suspended operations in April, 2019 in the state.
Accordingly, after a careful reviewing of the development in the area, the federal government is mulling lifting the ban so that genuine investors who want to come and do business in Zamfara state will be given a chance by the end of March 2020, the Minister added.
The Minister said when the law banning the activities in the region came into effect; many investors who already committed their resources became anxious as to what will become of their investment. He reiterated that the federal government has since deployed surveillance team to bring the situation into order and restore sanity into the area.
However, the United Nation Refugee Agency in September last year claimed the violence unleashed on the civilian populace had forced about 40,000 persons into displacement since the beginning of 2019.
In June 2019, the violent group killed at least 34 persons in the scattered attacked villages.
Mr Adegbite revealed Nigeria has many untapped natural resources especially the mineral deposits like gold, nickel tin and zinc, saying those resources are being explored by 80 per cent through artisanal, meanwhile mineral like gold is being smuggled out of the country through Niger and Togo.
The Minister alleged that about 500kg of gold is being smuggled out of Nigeria per month, claiming its worth is as much as $25 million and its revenue and royalties remain unpaid.
He said a Reuter’s analysis published in April found that billions of dollars’ worth of gold is being smuggled out of Africa every year through the United Arab Emirates, a gateway to other markets. He also disclosed that the federal government has granted a licence approval to firms like Kian Smith Trade & Co and dukia Gold which combined will have a capacity of 37 tonnes per annum.
He added Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) nwill purchase some of the gold.
