The Federal Government has issued a 30-day ultimatum to illegal miners to join recognized mining cooperatives or face legal consequences.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the announcement during a press conference in Abuja on Sunday. He said all efforts to formalize unlicensed miners into cooperatives have proved abortive.
Announcing the ban, Alake said He said, “I am giving illegal miners in this country just 30 days grace to join cooperatives or find another vocation. Also, the proposed task force will be domiciled in the ministry and will comprise operatives of all the relevant security agencies.
“For the last time, let me declare again that the ministry is giving such persons 30 days grace to join a miners’ co-operative or find another vocation to do.
The minister’s announcement follows his promise last week to sanitize the solid minerals sector by adopting more stringent regulations to create stability.
