The Nigerian Government has threatened to come down heavily on foreigners sponsoring bandictory as a way of sustaining illegal mining activities in parts of the country.

The warning was handed down in Abuja by Minister, Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines led by its National President, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala.

Details of these were contained in a statement released by Head, Press & PR, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Alaba Balogun over the weekend.

The statement cited, Dr Alake, thus, “The government will come down firmly on these unscrupulous foreign operators sponsoring banditry to perpetrate illegal mining: let me use this medium to appeal through you to tell those sponsors to desist or face the full wrath of the law.”

According to Dr Alake, the Ministry is committed to establishing a multi-agency task force that will end the activities of illegal miners and their collaborators.

The Minster made it clear that the FG had given illegal miners a 30-day-ultimatum to legitimise their businesses, quit Nigeria or incur the wrath of the law.

According to him, this will help “to streamline and structure the Small-Scale Artisanal Miners for maximum yield to the Federal Government.”

The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Minsiter at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

By Edozie Obasi-Eze

Amidst heightening uncertainties in the domestic petroleum products market characterised by scarcity and irregular pricing, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has declared that there’s no intention to review pump prices upwards.

This was contained in an advisory issued by General Manager, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Kimchi Apollo.

He stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) had imported PMS with current stock levels sufficient for 34 days.

In an attempt to address panic buying and speculations which have seen price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) oscillate between N180-N250 in the Lagos area, Apollo assured that there was enough quantity of the product in the country already.

He said, “Consequently, marketers and the general public are advised to avoid panic buying, diversion of products and hoarding.

“In keeping with the Authority’s responsibilities as outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Authority assures the public that it would continue to monitor the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide, especially during this holiday season.”

Precious ADELOLA

ABUJA-THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development on Thursday officially launched made in Nigerian Barites that has met specifications for use in the oil and gas industry, mostly in drilling operations.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote performed the launch in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in company with the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah.

Baryte

He also announced that imported barites would no longer be allowed for use by the Nigerian oil and gas industry from 2022.

He expressed delight at the alignment of objectives by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in supporting the attainment of the aspirations of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.

He hinted that the utilization of locally produced Barites and Drilling Fluids in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry was in line with the Federal Government’s commitments towards maximum optimization of local content and diversification of the Nigerian economy and would create huge value addition and opportunities to drive the sustainable and competitive growth of the Nigerian economy.

He recalled that the Board had issued a Guideline in May 2021 where it approved four firms for the supply of Barites required for any drilling project or contract in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The Board also listed 10 other companies that would be upgraded to Category A NCEC, as soon as they meet the requirements of the Guideline for the Utilization of Locally Produced Barite and Drilling Fluids in Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

The Executive Secretary charged the ministry and barite miners to focus on the improvement of the Health and Safety Practices at the Mines, Optimal Barite Production in volumes and to the required specification and Availability of accurate geological data.

He also emphasised the need to address Host Community issues and Environmental Practices leading to land degradation, Provision of adequate infrastructure and logistics, Improved access to financing for equipment and working capital and Patronage and utilization of Nigerian barites by Oil and gas operators and service companies.

He stated that improvements in these areas will positively impact the sustainable development of the Nigerian Barite value chain.

He assured that the Board will continue to collaborate and protect investors in the entire value chain of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, adding that first and exclusive consideration will always be given to locally produced goods and services in line with the provisions of the NOGICD Act.

In his remarks, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development stated that the launch would end decades of importation of barites, affirming that the barites being launched met the API standards, which is the global specifications demanded by the oil industry. He stated that Nigeria was blessed with 47 solid minerals deposited across the country and barites was among the seven strategic minerals designated by the ministry for top priority development.

He said that barites occur within the Benue trough- Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Gombe and Cross River and Zamfara in North-western part of the country.

Adegbite also announced that the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development would set up a marketplace portal that would connect all stakeholders along the barites value chain to a hub that allows easy coordination, stocking, effective costing and seamless sale of barites. He added that the ministry would coordinate the process and ensure that appropriate revenues from the process are remitted to Government.

He explained that the launch of made in Nigerian barites would increase revenue to Government through royalty payment and conserve foreign exchange spent previously in importing barites. He added that the development would also create jobs, especially in local communities where barites are mined and processed and earn Nigeria some foreign exchange when the mineral gets exported.