Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arch. Musa Mohammed Sada

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Musa Mohammed Sada, has inaugurated Bauchi State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee.

The minister described the  event  as  “a milestone  in  the  present  administration’s  determination  to  fast tract  the  orderly  and  sustainable  development  of  solid  mineral  endowments  of  Nigeria.”

“This  occasion  should  be  seen  as  the  practical  demonstration  of  government’s  resolve  to  engage  host  mining  communities  in partnership, not  only  to  affirm  our  determination  to  ensure  that  they  are  at  the  heart  of  policy  making,  but  also  to  ensure  that  they  benefit  both  socially  and  economically  from  the  mining  activities  around  them.”

Sada  disclosed  that  the  2007 Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act  provides  for  the  establishment  of  the  State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee  in  each  state   of  the  federation  as  well  as  the  signing  of  a  Community Development Agreement  with  host  communities  which   clearly spells  out  social and  economic  contributions  that  the  Mineral Title Holders  are  expected  to  make  to  host communities.

The  membership  of  the  committee  as  provided  by section  19  of  the  2007 Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act  is  as  follows: a representative  of  the Mines Environmental Compliance Department of  the  ministry  in  a  state  shall  be  chairman  of  the  committee; a  representative  of  the  ministry  responsible  for  land or mineral  related  matters  in  the  state; the federal mines officer  responsible  for  the  state; a  representative  of  the  ministry  of  agriculture  or forestry  of  the  state; a representative  of  the  Surveyor General  of  the  state; a  representative  of  the  local government  council  when  matters  affecting  the  said  local  government  area  are  being  considered  by  the  committee; a  representative  of  the  state  environmental  department or agency;  a  representative  of  the  federal ministry of  environment  in  the  state.

The minister said that in  order  to  avail  host  communities  the  opportunity  to  contribute  to  the  orderly  development  of  the  nation’s  solid  mineral resources  in  their  domain, government had  decided  to  delegate chairmanship  of  the  committee  to  a  prominent  indigene  of  each  state.

The  chairman  of  the  Bauchi State  Mineral Resources and  Environmental Management  Committee  is  Mallam  Yusuf M. Baba.

The  terms  of  reference  of  the  committee  are to: consider  and advise  the  minister on issues  affecting  returns  of  necessary  reports  affecting  grants  of  mining  titles; consider  issues  affecting compensation  and  make  necessary  recommendations  to  the  minister;  discuss, consider  and  advice  the  minister  on  matters  relating  to  pollution  and  degradation  of  any  land  on  which  any  mineral  is  being  extracted;  consider  such  other  matters  relating  to  mineral  resources  development  within  the  state  as  the  minister  may from  time  to  time  refer  to  the  committee.

The committee’s advisory role is also extended to government departments as provided by the Nigerian Minerala and Metals Act, 2007.