Southeast group backs calls for establishment of Mines Police, special tribunal for illegal miners
By Matthew Eloyi
A sociopolitical organization in the southeast, Youths For Progressive Alliance (YFPA) has backed calls for the establishment of Mines Police, Special Court or Tribunals to try smugglers of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources.
The group lamented that Nigeria loses about $9 billion annually to illegal mining and smuggling of gold, and further called for an urgent need for the leadership of the National Assembly to enact laws that will see to the realization of Mines Police and Special Court in the bid to proactively tackle the menace associated with illegal mining and smuggling.
The YFPA described as economic sabotage activities of illegal miners and further called for adequate and increase budgetary allocation for the nation’s federal ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
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The southeast youth organization made the call in a press release signed by its President, Comrade Emmanuel Nwabuko, and Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Emereuwa, and made available to journalists in Umuahia, Abia State capital, on Monday.
The YFPA also described as satisfactory the recent public hearing by the Nigerian Senate Committee on Solid Mineral Development and reiterated its demand for enactment of stringent laws to tackle illegal mining and smuggling, and as well as encouraging the performances of the Ministry of Mines in revenue generation.
The group urged the security agencies, host communities in Nigeria endowed with solid mineral resources and other stakeholders in the mining sector, to cooperate with the government on her efforts towards protecting the natural resources for the general good of the country.
Southeast group backs calls for establishment of Mines Police, special tribunal for illegal miners