Laleye Dipo in Minna
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has suspended all forms of mining activities in the state with immediate effect.
Bago, who said the decision to stop mining was to enable the government profile all those involved in such businesses across the state and keep accurate record of their activities, however, set a monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N10bn or N120 bn annually.
Although it is believed that illegal mining especially of Gold was responsible for the high rate of insecurity in parts of the state, Bago while addressing the inaugural state Executive Council, said the administration would no longer tolerate the activities of illegal miners in the state.
On the proposed IGR, he said, “All revenue-generating MDAs should redouble their efforts to make sure the monthly target of N10 billion naira is achieved,”adding that the administration would be deliberate in its policies and ensure it invested in agricultural equipment to turn around the fortunes of the state for a new Niger state.
Bago said for the administration to deliver dividends of democracy to the citizens, things must be done differently and rightly, therefore, “any file on my table will not last twenty-four hours,” challenging the Commissioners and Special Advisers to adopt the same policy.
Saying that new ministries were created to fit into the vision and mission of his administration, the governor asked the council members to come up with supplementary budgets for their MDAs because “this administration will work strictly within the budget.”
He, however, said the Council would henceforth meet via Zoom in line with the digitalisation policy of the government and that the meetings will always commence at 8am and end at noon every Wednesday.
