“The 2007 Mining Act only recognises families and individuals as rightful owners of acquired mining sites not traditional rulers. It is based on this that exploration, not mining licences, are issued to the aforementioned groups of people. Traditional rulers can only advise, not playing principal role.
“What is going on in some localities is an illegal act and government will deal decisively with anybody caught irrespective of his or her position.” He said the newly-opened ”gemstone market will create and generate sustainable competitive advantages in the following key areas: development of downstream gemstone and gold mining industries, increasing the level of competitive inputs, increasing the level of employment in all business activities related to the gemstone mining cluster, increasing the rate and exports of value-added products and services and attracting foreign investments among others.
In his address, Governor Seyi Makinde, whose message was delivered by the Commissioner for Energy, Temiloluwa Seun, commended the efforts of the government for shifting the economic focus from the oil and gas sector. Makinde added that his government was embracing the economic diversification policy as means of boosting the Internally Generated Revenue and creating jobs for the people in the state.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.