Dele Ayanleke, the National President of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) disclosed that he is not entirely opposed to the Federal Government’s proposed increase in mining license rates.
He said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
He however urged the government to be considerate in the review.
Ayanleke stated that the initiative aims to enhance the government’s ability to effectively transform the mining sector. The association acknowledged that factors like inflation and the exchange rate have increased the cost of operating the government.
He added that the government was expected to take advantage of the increased volume of activities in the sector to generate revenue for social and infrastructural development in the country.
In spite of such considerations, the government should be reasonable in arriving at the new rates, noting that the association remained patriotic and understands that periodic reviews were necessary.
“Also the issue of state government interference is increasing cost of doing business in the mining sector,” he said.
“We all know what the constitution says about mining; it is in the exclusive list, there are provisions between local and host communities but what we are experiencing now is deviation of the norms.
“The state governments are setting up their own regulatory framework and structure, and all these comes with their own regulatory levies, and some conditions may be difficult for the titleholders to meet.
“It is also bringing a lot of confusion in the sector on government`s dedication to bring investors, there is need for government to re-enact its laws and be solely committed to address this situation and speak with one voice,“ he noted.
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