State government can’t control minerals- Adegbite
By Modupe Shodeinde
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, has said state governments do not have control over mineral deposits in their domains.
The minister said this at a sensitisation meeting with state commissioners for justice, minerals and environment from the North-Central geopolitical zone.
Recently, the Zamfara state government had declared its plan to establish a gold reserve through buying of gold from artisenal miner indigenes. This had brought to attention the issue of resource control.
The minister in response to the call for amendment of the exclusive list section on minerals in the country’s constitution to allow states have participatory roles in mining, said that doing so would be detrimental to the nation’s economic system.
He explained that revenue derived from oil in any part of the country was used for the general development of the country.
In a statement issued by the the mines ministry’s Assistant Director, Press, Timothy Akpoili, Adegbite stated that royalties and other revenues generated from solid minerals mining were paid into the consolidated fund.
The fund, he said, was shared according to the derivation principle during monthly revenue allocation.
