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Tag: Dele Alake

  • Africa to set new standards in mining – Alake

    Africa to set new standards in mining – Alake

    The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), has reiterated its commitment to setting new standards in the mining industry.

    Chairman of the group, Dr Dele Alake said this at the opening of the 2024 African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS), on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AMSG established in February, is an initiative by African Governments to facilitate international cooperation in sustainable critical minerals development.

    Alake, who is also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said that the group would ensure that Africa secured an equitable share in supplying the world with critical minerals.

    He said that AFNIS provides a unique opportunity for African countries to forge partnerships aimed at attracting investments that would drive the development of the region’s natural resources.

    According to him, AMSG is committed to creating a business-friendly environment that encourages foreign direct investment, and fosters mutually beneficial collaborations.

    “By leveraging global expertise, technology, and capital, we can transform our natural resources into a catalyst for sustainable development.

    “Innovation is a key driver of growth in the natural resources ecosystem, therefore, we will continue to embrace technological advancements that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and promote sustainable practices,” he said.

    According to him, Africa is determined to extend the benefits of natural resource development to local communities.

    He said that they would ensure that mining activities served as catalysts for local economic growth, which would improve the quality of life for its citizens.

    “Through robust Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and proactive community engagement, our goal is to empower communities and foster inclusive development.

    “This commitment is reinforced by the recent revision of the Community Development Agreement (CDA), which I initiated shortly after assuming office as minister.

    “This updated framework ensures that local communities are integral partners in mining ventures, safeguarding their interests and ensuring direct participation in and benefits from resource extraction projects.

    “The CDA exemplifies our unwavering dedication to sustainable development, transparency, and the enduring prosperity of all communities involved,” he said.

    The minister described the summit as a significant milestone in collective efforts toward harnessing Africa’s vast natural resources for sustainable economic development.

    Alake said the summit would explore how Africa’s abundant resources could be leveraged to drive economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

    According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to transforming Nigeria’s solid minerals sector as part of its commitment to economic diversification.

    He said that the approach of the agenda was multifaceted, focusing on policy reforms, sustainable practices, infrastructure development, and human capital enhancement.

    The minister said that Nigeria was currently implementing comprehensive reforms that would create a conducive environment for investment in the solid minerals sector.

    According to him, the reforms aims to enhance transparency, regulatory clarity, and investor confidence, fostering a competitive and thriving industry.

    “We are adopting best practices that minimise environmental impact and promote social responsibility.

    “Our goal is to ensure that mining activities contribute positively to the economy while safeguarding the environment and enhancing the well-being of local communities, reflecting the ethos of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

    “Recognising the critical role of infrastructure in enabling mining activities, we will encourage investments in key projects, including transportation, power supply, and technological advancements.

    “These investments will facilitate efficient extraction, processing, and transportation of minerals, thereby, boosting productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

    He said that the solid minerals industry would continue to enhance the capacity of its workforce to participate meaningfully in the industry as well as drive growth.

    NAN reports that the theme of the summit, which opened on July 16, and will close on July 18 is “Natural Resources for Economic Development.’’

    The summit is the third edition and is being hosted by the Federal Government in partnership with Core International Mining Company.

  • FG increases mining rates, decries non-remittance

    FG increases mining rates, decries non-remittance

    The Federal Government has increased the rates and charges for all activities in the mining sector.

    Dr Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the new charges on Thursday in Abuja, expressed concerns over non-remittance by some operators.

    Alake said that mining operators in the industry were making huge amounts of money but refused to remit to the Federal Government.

    “Today, we are taking a major step in the efforts to implement the seven point agenda.

    “This is to position the sector for economic consolidation by announcing a new regime of rates and charges for various services of the department and agencies of the ministry.’’

    The minister said the development was in view of the introduction of qualitative measures being implemented in recent times.

    He added that it would raise the level of the services; improve traffic of the transaction and developed infrastructure.

    “For instance, we supervised the successful implementation and conclusion of the mineral sector support for economic diversification minddiver project.’’

    He said the mining sector involved Mining Cadastral Offic(MCO)–the agency responsible for licencing which acquired the new mining information system, Electronic Mining Cadastre System, EMC+ portal.

    “This enables 24 hours application and administration system that accelerated the rate of application and access of applicants to MCO, adding that the system had improved transparency.

    Alake said the system would also encourage more interest and boost participation in the sector; thereby giving the stakeholder confidence to invest the sector.

    He said that the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) had acquired an integrated base data accessible by the public.

    “The stakeholders have been enjoying the mining sector; it is therefore equitable that those who invest in the mining sector and make profits from it should be on the front lines of government’s efforts to recoup rather than pass it to poor Nigerians.’’

    Alake said that there were about 268 items in the rates regime, adding that it would be difficult to mention all the items.

    “The major highlights are as follows: under the new regime, investors applying for a mining lease license will pay N3 million, while Small Scale Mining Lease (SSML) applicants will pay N300, 000 for the first two cadastral units.

    “The cost to obtain an Exploration Licence (EL) is N600, 000 for the first 100 cadastral units.’’

    He listed others as a Quarry lease and reconnaissance permit which attracted N300, 000.

    “The aim is to discourage speculation and address the paucity of funds, limiting the Federal Government’s capacity to improve ease of doing business in the sector.

    “The new rate, which affects 268 items in the industry, includes an annual service fee of N31, 500 for the first time.

    “Also, N260, 000 for a Small Scale Mining License (SSML), N500,000 for a Quarry Lease, and N1,250,000 for firms operating with a Mining Lease.

    “Following the renewal of licenses, the rates for the respective categories will be N42, 000,” he said.

    Alake said also listed an exploration licence, N420, 000, for a SSML N1.5 million for a mining Lease and N1 million for a quarry lease.

    “Other services affected by the new regulations include mineral title applications of the MCO, alongside the transfer, enlargement, surrender, and consolidation of mineral titles.’’

    According to Alake, the new regulations seek to maximise royalties from critical minerals like lithium and gold to boost the nation’s revenue base and contribute significantly to economic development.

    “In the new rates regime, lithium ore lepidolite at the current market value of N600, 000 per tonne attracts an N18,000 royalty per tonne.

    “Kunzite with a current market value of N3 million per tonne, attracts a N90, 000 royalty per tonne, while lithium ore spodumene with a current market value of N316,667 per tonne, attracts a N9,500 royalty per tonne,’’ he said.

    He said that the rates review also affected services rendered by the MCO and the NGSA.

    According to the minister, the new rates regime takes immediate effect.

  • I’m being threatened as minister – Dele Alake

    I’m being threatened as minister – Dele Alake

    The minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, has admitted has opened up on being threatened by people who are affected by the reforms he is overseeing in the solid minerals sector.

    Alake spoke at the Ministerial Sectoral Updates which is part of activities lined up to mark President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s one year in office as Nigerian President.

    While presenting his scorecard in the last one year of the administration to the media, the Minister was asked if he was safe carrying out his functions.

    “I’m being threatened,” he said

    “But this issue is beyond me as an individual. If I’m removed today, someone else will come there and do more because we have established and really given the direction and our vision is that when we would’ve left, Nigerians would have been so used to a higher standard of governance that they’ll not accept anything lower than that. I’m very safe.”

  • FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences

    FG revokes 924 dormant mining licences

    The Federal Government has revoked additional 924 dormant mining licenses.

    Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake announced this on Wednesday in Abuja as he decried the racketeering of the issuance of the licences.

    He told newsmen that mining licence racketeering was impeding the development of the sector and obstructing genuine investors from showing interest in Nigeria’s mines.

    Licences revoked were 528 for exploration; 22 mining leases, 101 quarry licences and 273 small-scale mining licences.

    The minister explained that a grace period of 30 days was given to defaulters to rectify their statuses, and to state reasons for dormancy on the sites allocated to them in line with Constitutional provisions.

    He said that 963 licences were published in the official gazette of the Federal Government in December 2023 awaiting revocation.

    Out of these, only 39 of the listed licence holders responded to the warning as they either moved to site immediately or they stated challenges hindering their operations, he added.

    Alake stated that the revocation of the licences was taken to sanitise and reposition the mining sector to boost Nigeria’s economic profile and to accelerate its industrialisation.

    He noted that the “first-come, first-served’’ rule in the licencing regime was a disincentive for genuine investors as the rule prohibited issuance of fresh licence on a site already allocated.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry revoked 1,663 mining licences in November 2023 because of failure by licensees to pay statutory charges and other dues to the Federal Government.

    Alake said that following the revocation of the 1,663 licences in 2023, government received a lot of pressure to reconsider the punitive measure.

    According to him, in response to the pressure, government issued a policy for defaulters to make restitution and show remorse in order to be considered for reinstatement.

    He said that the restitution varied depending on the category of licence revoked.

    “The highest, which is on mining attracts a restitution N10 million per revoked licence payable to the Federal Government.

    “For the small-scale licences, the restitution is N7.5 million for reinstatement and for exploration licence, the restitution is N5 million,’’ Alake said.

    The minister warned in his 2024 New Year goodwill message that more mining licences would be revoked for other categories of defaulters.

    He warned also that Nigeria’s mining sector would not continue to suffer from low investments because of nefarious activities of individuals who bought licences for promising mine sites only to resell them at the illegal market.

    He added that the practice was tarnishing Nigeria’s image and was diverting funds that could be used for exploration to the illegal market to acquire licences at exorbitant prices.

    Alake stressed that Nigeria was losing a significant amount of Foreign Direct Investment to the untoward practice.

  • Minister directs new marshals to smoke out illegal miners

    Minister directs new marshals to smoke out illegal miners

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has directed mining new marshals drawn from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to smoke out illegal miners and all those who flout the nation’s mining laws.

    Alake gave the directive while inaugurating the first batch of mining marshals drawn from the NSCDC to combat illegal mining.

    He said that 60 marshals have been specially trained and deployed to the 36 states across the federation and the Federal Capital Territory

    The minister  said that the newly activated Mining Marshal Corp, which currently has 2,220 personnel is an inter-agency security outfit established to secure the mining environment.

    He said that plans are underway for other security sister agencies to integrate their officers in to the outfit structure across the country for a robust output.

    According to the minister, the ministry plays a pivotal role in supporting the operations of the mine marshals to ensure their success.

    `Effective intelligence gathering through our state mines inspectorate, harnessing valid data of troubled mining areas and giving the requisite directives for precise operations are necessary factors for coordination of the activities of the marshals.

    The minister earlier held a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, to discuss securing the mining environment.

    Badaru stated that the federal government was already making a headway in routing illegal miners, as clearance operations have commenced in some troubled spots.

    President Bola Tinubu set up a presidential Inter-ministerial committee on Jan.17 to produce a blue print for securing Nigeria`s natural resources, which comprises of mineral sites, marine economy and the forest.

  • Minister condemns kidnap of school children in Ekiti

    Minister condemns kidnap of school children in Ekiti

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake has condemned the kidnapping of some school children in Ekiti.

    The minister condemned the act in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Recall that about six pupils, three teachers and the bus driver of a private school in Emure-Ekiti were abducted while returning to Eporo-Ekiti on Monday.

    Alake also condemned the killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti, who were reportedly killed while returning from a security meeting in Irele-Ekiti by suspected kidnappers.

    They were said to be in a vehicle being driven by one of their colleagues, the Alara of Ikole Ekiti, when they were attacked by gunmen along a community in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Monday.

    “I received with deep sadness,  the report of yesterday’s killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti, the Onimojo of Imojo- Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola.

    “These two traditional rulers, according to media reports, were gruesomely murdered by their assailants while returning from a security meeting.

    “The tragic incident, again, speaks to the challenges of insecurity in our country, which the President Nola Tinubu-led administration is working very hard to surmount,” he said.

    Alake urged security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime, and ensure they faced the full wrath of the law.

    He commiserated with the governor of Ekiti, Abiodun Oyebanji; the government and people of Ekiti, especially the families and subjects of the traditional rulers.

    Recall that the governor had described the incident as callous and unacceptable in a statement, and said that security agencies in the state were already on the trail of the abductors to ensure their safe return.

    He said that security is being beefed up across the state with the aim of taking criminals from their hideouts.

  • What FG “ll do before making statement on Ibadan explosion – Minister

    What FG “ll do before making statement on Ibadan explosion – Minister

    The Federal Government will allow the investigative, technical, and intelligence agencies to conclude their investigations before making any categorical statement on Ibadan explosion.

    The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, said this on Monday while speaking with newsmen shortly after meeting with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in Ibadan.

    He said all the questions pertaining to the explosion would be answered at the end of the investigations, adding that by then, Nigerians would be well-informed.

    Alake said he was at the governor’s office to commiserate with Makinde and commend him for his efficiency and effectiveness in the handling of the explosion.

    He particularly thanked Makinde for the speed with which he had responded to the incident which he described as unfortunate.

    The minister said that Makinde’s efforts was ‘very remarkable’, adding that President Bola Tinubu was impressed.

    The minister said he had visited the scene of the explosion as well as the hospital to see some of the victims.

    He said that there would not be any particular time frame for the submission of the report on the explosion, as it was a technical investigation that required lots of expertise.

    Alake, however, said that the report would not take too long, based on the speed with which all the agencies involved had been handling the assignment.

    He assured Nigerians that government would not sit on the report, given the magnitude of the explosion.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the explosion, which occurred on Jan.16 at Bodija area of Ibadan, had claimed five lives, with 77 people injured and several houses destroyed.

  • Why we want to know real cause of Ibadan explosion – FG

    Why we want to know real cause of Ibadan explosion – FG

    The federal government has insisted on knowing the real cause of the explosion that claimed the lives of 5 persons and left many injured in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said this while also disclosing that the FG is awaiting the outcome of the forensic investigation into the explosion, which occurred on Jan.16.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Alake to have said this will enable the government to determine its next action.

    No fewer than five persons were reported killed, 77 injured and 58 buildings damaged by the explosion.

    Alake said that the investigation would help in revealing the remote cause of the explosion, and guide the Federal Government on its next line of action.

    He disclosed this in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori on Sunday in Abuja.

    “The Federal Government is now waiting for the outcome of forensic investigations that will determine the real cause of the blast, the explosives type that triggered it and the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident that led to loss of lives and property.

    The minister had announced on Jan. 17, that he had directed Mine Inspectorate Officers on the site of the explosion to collaborate with Oyo State Government and join ongoing investigations to find out its remote causes.

    “We have ordered detailed investigation and our officers will work and collaborate with the Oyo State to know the actual cause.

    “If the explosion was caused by mining explosive devices as earlier reported, the ministry will double efforts to tighten the noose around those acquiring explosives and storing them illegally,“ he said.

    According to the statement, the mine officers have been deployed to join other security agencies to unravel the cause of the explosion.

    He assured Nigerians of the government`s determination to take appropriate actions regarding the situation, hence its resolve to await the outcome before making a definite pronouncement.

    He urged Nigerians to allow security agencies and other relevant officers to carry out their assignments.

    He added that sensitive situations such as the explosion could lead to speculations due to lack of necessary information, hence the need to wait for the investigations outcome.

    He added that the investigation was aimed at preventing recurrence, adding that it would help in bringing the culprits to book.

    President Bola Tinubu had, on Jan.17, set up an inter-ministerial committee on  insecurity hampering the growth of Nigeria’s natural resources.

    The committee will deliberate on modalities in producing a blue print to secure Nigeria`s natural resources.

  • Dele Alake orders mining officers to investigate Ibadan explosion

    Dele Alake orders mining officers to investigate Ibadan explosion

    The Minister of Solid Minerals and Development, Dr Dele Alake has directed Mine Officers of the ministry to investigate the Tuesday night explosion in Ibadan, Oyo State, to help unravel the cause.

    Alake gave the directive on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “I have directed the ministry’s mine officers who are already on site in Ibadan to join ongoing investigations to find out the immediate and remote causes of the explosion.

    “We have ordered detailed investigation and our officers will work and collaborate with the  Oyo state government to know the actual cause.

    “If the explosion was caused by mining explosives devices as earlier reported, the ministry will double its efforts to tighten the noose around those acquiring explosives and storing them illegally,” he said.

    The minister’s directives followed reports that the explosion was allegedly traceable to the denotation of explosive devices stored by illegal miners.

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state announced that no fewer than three people were reported dead and 77 people injured in the blast.

    Also 58 buildings were reported damaged by the explosion.

    The minister commiserated with Makinde and the people of Oyo over the incident.

    He commended the governor for the rapid mobilisation of emergency response, while urging residents to be safety conscious and report persons or organisations endangering public health and security.

  • Yuletide: 163,878 passengers benefited from FG’s transport subsidy waiver – Alake

    Yuletide: 163,878 passengers benefited from FG’s transport subsidy waiver – Alake

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that over I60, 000 Nigerians across the country benefited from its Yuletide transportation waiver.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the  Nigerian government  announced a 50 percent slash on road transport fares and free train rides to ease commuters’ burdens during Yuletide.

    However, the  Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake on Tuesday praised the Federal Government for the move while describing the intervention scheme as a success owing to the number of passengers that benefited from it across the country.

    “As the Chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the End of Year Transportation Subsidy Programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I am pleased to report that our programme has been a tremendous success, benefiting over 160,000 passengers across the country,” he wrote on his X handle late Sunday.

    “This initiative, approved by President Tinubu on December 19, 2023, provided free transportation on the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) routes and a 50 percent subsidy on transport fares for passengers traveling on 30 bus routes operated by the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, ALBON.”

    While reiterating the reason for the move, Alake also shared further details about the transportation waiver.

    “I am proud to share that between December 21 and December 31, 2023, the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses under ALBON carried 77,122 passengers. Additionally, 652 bus trips from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766 passengers,” he added.

    “These numbers demonstrate that a total of 163,878 passengers benefitted from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy in the first 10 days of the programme.”