By our Reporter
Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State Governor, on Monday condemned the illegal mining of gold in some parts of the State.
Governor Akeredolu said it took the efforts of the State Security Network, Amotekun Corps, to locate and arrest some suspects engaging in the illegal mining.
He vowed that his administration will ensure that the state benefits maximally from all its endowments and expressed his commitment to tackling illegal mining with all vigor.
The Governor spoke in his office while playing host to officials of the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, COMEG.
He said his administration is ready to partner genuine investors for the exploitation of the abundant mineral resources in the state.
The Governor said: “At the moment, we have four or five licenses on Bitumen. Southwest Bitumen is currently utilizing its license though it is being hampered by transport logistics to move its imported heavy-duty equipment to site. It has to wait until our barges are ready to move them from the Lagos port through our waterways.”
Governor Akeredolu stated that the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency, ONDIPA, is working hard to get serious investors to partner the state on the exploration and exploitation of any of the resources in the state.
Earlier, the Registrar and CEO, Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, COMEG, Professor Zaccheaus Opafunso, expressed the readiness of the body to provide technical assistance to Ondo State in the development of its diverse and abundant mineral resources.
He said Ondo State would need to get titles for its mineral resources to ward off illegal mining, adding that mining sub-sector today presents better alternative source of income for the Nigerian economy.