Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for greater inclusion of state governments in the exploitation and management of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, emphasizing its potential to drive economic diversification and end illegal mining activities.
Speaking on Tuesday during a working visit by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development at Government House, Enugu, Mbah highlighted the need for a collaborative framework that empowers both national and sub-national governments to harness the country’s vast untapped mineral resources.
“Solid minerals hold a very huge economic opportunity for this country, particularly when we think of economic diversification,” Mbah said.
“I am sure that you would ensure that there is more state inclusion or more state participation in the exploration or exploitation of the solid mineral. Both the national and sub-national governments hold very huge potential. A lot of these assets are lying dormant or largely left in the hands of illegal miners. And that must end with the work your committee is doing.”
Governor Mbah also appealed to the Senate to help resolve legal conflicts regarding mining rights, especially where overlaps exist between federal laws such as the Nigerian Inland Waterway Act and the Mining Act.
“The Nigerian Inland Waterway Act and the Mining Act have been at loggerheads as to who holds the right to mining sand along the coastal areas. So, I hope that is also something that your Committee will be looking into,” he said.
He further stressed the importance of accurate and current geospatial data to attract investment into the sector, pointing out that the absence of reliable data remains a major hindrance.
“Part of the major challenges in exploring fully the solid mineral sector is the lack of data; and when you have them, they are obsolete. Even when they are current, they are not enough for one to make investment decisions with.
“But if there is a clear line of responsibility, and when we understand clearly what the corresponding benefits are, then they would be able to attract the big companies that would invest in that sector,” Mbah added.
Earlier in his remarks, Senator Ekong Sampson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, said Enugu State plays a key role in Nigeria’s mineral map, citing its historical coal industry and the presence of valuable mineral deposits across the state.
“The Senate recognises the state’s rich mineral profile, and the potential it holds for socioeconomic growth. The state is not only prominent for coal in Udi. Geological data also suggests valuable deposits of limestone in Nkanu and Oji River, iron ore in Nsukka and Ogbete, as well as silica and laterite in many parts of the state,” Senator Sampson said.
“These minerals present significant opportunities for investment, job creation, and economic development of Enugu State and Nigeria.”
He praised Governor Mbah for his development strides and pledged the Senate’s collaboration with Enugu State in crafting legislative frameworks to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“As a Senate, we remain committed to exploring all available avenues towards ensuring that the great expectations of Nigerians in the mining sector are met,” Sampson concluded.