Solid Minerals Minister, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Sunday warned that hard times await illegal miners as the Federal Government has expressed readiness to invoke the extant laws to bring them to justice in its bid to diversify the economy.
Fayemi told reporters in his hometown, Isan Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, that the Mining and Mineral Act 2007 had provided the government the legal weapon to prosecute illegal miners and saboteurs.
The minister said the nation had the potential to become a global leading player in the sector with 44 key minerals, which, he said could be found in about 350 locations in the 36 states.
He identified poor management of the sector in the last 55 years of independence as the reason why Nigeria has not got enough returns in terms of foreign exchange, investment and job opportunities.
Fayemi said that solid minerals and agriculture were very dear to the president in his plan to widen the nation’s income base and provide employment opportunities, adding that nothing would be spared to restore vibrancy to the sector.
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