By sandra Micheals
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, Honourable Sanni Abdulraheem, has lamented that illegal mining and money laundering are depriving Nigerians of the dividends of the country’s vast mineral resources.
Honourable Abdulraheem stated this while speaking at a High-Level Stakeholders Workshop on Extractive Industry Governance held in Abuja.
He expressed concern that despite Nigeria’s abundant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, and other precious minerals, there remains a disconnect between the nation’s natural wealth and the prosperity of its local communities.
According to the lawmaker, the Committee was inaugurated with a specific mandate to investigate the activities of illegal miners, trace illicit financial flows, and evaluate the nation’s security and regulatory framework concerning the mining sector.
He, therefore, called for a robust synergy among key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Solid Minerals, security agencies, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), state governments, traditional rulers, licensed operators, and civil society organisations, to tackle the menace.
Honourable Abdulraheem assured that the Committee’s final report to the House of Representatives would prioritise concrete legislative and administrative interventions aimed at entrenching transparency, security, and ensuring that the country’s mineral wealth translates into shared national prosperity
