The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, has called on state governors to establish mining companies and apply for licences.

This was revealed in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), held on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the communiqué, Alake said the decision was reached on recent policies, institutional and operational reforms undertaken by the ministry, in harnessing the mining potentials of the country.

“He sought the cooperation of State governments in his drive to create an enabling business environment for investors, support artisanal and small-scale mining cooperatives, address illegal mining, and de-risk the sector. The Minister encouraged State Governments to form mining companies and apply for mining licences,” the statement read in part.

However, while the governors said they “welcomed the reforms”, they advocated for stronger intergovernmental relations in coordinating the activities of the sector from licencing, surveillance, to operational safeguards.

Alake’s call follows reports of ongoing illegal mining activities across the states of the federation.

Channels Television had recently, investigated the activities of illegal miners inside the premises of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), prompting an uproar from the school’s management and the public.

The minister had since inaugurated a security outfit to fish out perpetrators of illegal miners and bring them to book.

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