FG Moves To Tackle Natural Disasters

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development said yesterday that it has acquired and installed high sensitivity seismometers and meters for monitoring and detecting earth movements and earthquake in parts of the country.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, BawaAbubakar, stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to defend his ministry’s 2019 budget.
Abubakar said the earth movement monitoring device was acquired as part of measures to address the country’s geological security. He explained that the device was installed at the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency premises, Gwagwalada, Bwari and Kaduna State.
The minister said that the effort was accelerated in response to the recent persistent earth tremors experienced in the country especially around Abuja.
He said that the proactive measure became necessary in order to predict, detect and monitor earth movement and earthquake-related activities.
He listed insufficient and untimely release of funds, direct intervention by states in the management of mineral resources, multiple taxation by states and local governments, and inadequate geological data, as some of the challenges facing the mining sector.
The committee Chairman, Senator EnyinnayaAbaribe, asked the minister to furnish the panel with a detailed breakdown of the budget.
The committee believed that the revenue capacity of the sector should be raised for the country to benefit.