SENATE PUSHES FOR PUNISHMENT OF FOREIGNERS ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL MINING

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is advocating the arrest and prosecution of foreigners or anyone engaged in the illegal mining of the country’s mineral resources.

Lawan stated this after considering a motion on the need to check illegal mining activities in the country, sponsored by Ya’u Sahabi Alhaji and thirty-two other senators, seeking the revamping of the country’s mining sector.

Leading the debate, Sahabi said illegal mining sites not only bred criminality but also exacerbated into full scale terrorism and insurgency as witnessed in some states.

Sahabi complained that the solid mineral sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the country has dwindled overtime due to illegal mining.

Responding, Lawan assured that the ninth Senate will look into the solid minerals sector ‘seriously’ and charged the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Steel Development and Metallurgy to call for a public hearing on the issue.