By Andy Asemota
Nigeria lost about 54 billion dollars from 2012 to 2018 due to illegal smuggling of gold, Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu has claimed.
In a motion for an urgent need to investigate the loss of nine billion dollars annually due to illegal mining and the smuggling of gold in the country, Kalu (APC, Abia North), expressed concern that a huge amount remained unaccounted for through under the radar sales of the expensive commodity.
The motion also noted that the gold mining operations in Nigeria was capable of providing no fewer than 250,000 jobs and over 500 million dollars annually in royalties and taxes to the federal government as mineral resources.
This, according to him, could further diversify the nation’s economy and improve the foreign exchange reserve, giving the country’s estimated gold reserves of over 200 million ounces, most of which were yet to be exploited.
Kalu said developing sustainable programmes that will catalyze increased investment in the extraction and refining of gold sourced from mines in Nigeria is imperative.
Following contributions of several senators to the motion, the Red Chamber presided over by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, accordingly resolved to urge the executive to intensify efforts to combat illegal mining activities and seal up all revenue leakages from such clandestine activities.
It however mandated the Senate Committee on Solid Mineral, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy to investigate the matter and report back to the Senate in six weeks.
The senators were also worried that illegal mining activities in Zamfara, Kebbi, Plateau and Osun States among others were ongoing in collaboration with foreign nationals with significant effects on insecurity in the mineral producing states.
