Expert Proffers Solution to Raw Minerals Leakage.

By Iyabo Adebisi

The Nigerian Minning and Geosciences Society, NMGS wants the federal government to halt the exportation of raw mineral resources and engage professionals at the pppxits to curb leakages with a view to generating more revenue for Nigeria. 

The President of the association, Professor Akinade  Olatunji stated this in during a chat with newsmen to appraise the sectors of the Nigerian socio-economic.

Speaking on the backdrop of the dwindling, the newly installed 32nd president of NMGS who regretted the leakages in the solid mineral sector believed that the mineral resources should not be taking out of the country without being processed to enhance transparency

Professor Akinade therefore called for establishment of an agency that would buy raw mineral resources and stock pile  pointing out that those countries buying from Nigeria were not using them immediately but store for later processing. 

He said “If the government want to do the right thing, there should be targeted recruitment of professionals who know those things and they should be posted to mann those exit points where those materials are taking out. And when they begin to do that, you will be shocked”.

“What we are even saying as a nation is that we should stop exporting raw minerals. Infact, we are even proposing that we should ban it totally. All minerals in the country should not be exported without being processed. When you do that, you are going to add value, create more jobs and it’s going to increase resources and we are going to say yes, this is what we have benefited from this”

“That’s actually where we should be, Government can even set up an agency and buy from people who have it and stockpile because you are sending it to China, Europe, they are not processing it immediately, they are also stockpiling. So, I think the current government by the antecedent, they know what to do”.He added. 

On tackling the issue of oil theft, Professor Akinade stressed the need for government to involve communities on why they should see the resources as their own

He said the passage of the Petroleum Industry Acts is a huge leap in bringing the oil and gas sector into the realm that it should be aligning it with the best international practices and opening the sector to the much-needed resources for its  profitability. 

“The coming on board of the PIA has removed vestiges of government tentacles that have bogged down the expected development as the ubiquitous presence of government as regulators and operators had inherent conflicts that have now been resolved with the PIA. 

Government is now responsible for creating and sustaining the operational 

environment, providing regulatory frameworks to which operators are expected to conform”.

Professor Akinade said NMGS would  continue to assist government in moving the nation forward. 

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