FG Inaugurates Donor Agencies In Mining Sector

The Federal Government has inaugurated donor development agencies to assist in bridging gaps and deficiencies in the Nigerian mining sector.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi performed the exercise  in Abuja recently.
The agencies, which included the World Bank, UNIDO, UNDP, DFID, Open Society Initiative for West Africa, would help to solve the challenges confronting the sector to take its place of pride.
He said that the exercise was to spell out their responsibilities to avoid duplication and unnecessary competitions.
He said this would ensure that the agencies understood areas to assist the ministry to align with its mandates.
He said that the Department for International Development (DFID) would assist the ministry in financing cost of advisory and technical teams.
He said that Ford Foundation would finance the ministry’s strategic communication, environmental and social justice activities.
He noted that Medecin San Frontiers would undertake a pilot clean up in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) communities affected by lead poison from the gold processing activities.
He, however, said that OSIWA would review the legal and regulatory obstacles in the sector, financing the ministry strategic communication activities, among others.
On UNIDO, he said it would assist the country to develop the Minamata Convention Initial Assessment and a National Action Plan on mercury used in ASM gold mining as stipulated in the convention.
The minister said that UNDP would assist the ministry to implement the African Mining Vision (AMV) and the framework for revenue collection, to address revenue leakages.
He said that the World Bank would focus on strengthening the Federal Government in its role to establish a strong foundation for mining sector development as sector regulator and facilitator.
He said that the African Development Bank (AFDB) would support the quest to develop the ministry’s energy minerals.
According to him, the ministry is working in collaboration with other relevant ministries such as Works, Power, Housing and Transport to provide infrastructure which is key to the development of the mining sector.
He said that ministry of agriculture and rural development and water resources would align the sector’s work on agro- minerals, particularly phosphate, land use and water rights permit to minimise delays as well as protect the environment.
The Ministry of  Finance and CBN would support the establishment of investment support facilities for the mining industry as provided in the Mining Act as well as enable the industry to scale up its activities.
UNIDO Representative to ECOWA and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office, Mr Jean Bakolesaid the role of donor agency to the government or ministry included policy dialogue and advisory role.