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Alake Advocates Mine Emergency, Community Recovery Fund to Curb Mining Disaster Losses in Africa
Joel Ajayi
The Solid Minerals Development Minister and chairman of Africa Minerals Strategy Group, AMSG, Dele Alake has advocated a Mine Emergency and Community Development Fund.
Addressing dignitaries at the third AMSG High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on Monday, the minister also proposed an African safety facility to formalise artisanal mining and promote co-operatives in member countries.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, chaired the event, which African ministers of mining attended.
The minister lamented the tragedy of mine collapses in Africa, citing huge losses in Congo and the Central African Republic and the recent cases of detained suspects of illegal mining who died in Nigeria.
His words: “Each time one of these tragedies occurs, I have had the painful responsibility, as the chairman of this Group, of conveying our condolences. But condolences, however sincere, cannot be the limit of continental solidarity. Behind every casualty figure is a family that has lost a breadwinner, a child who may no longer return to school, a household pushed deeper into poverty and a community left to cope with a disaster for which it was never equipped.”
He praised artisanal and small-scale miners for supporting millions of livelihoods across the continent and supplying minerals to domestic and international markets, urging governments to formalise rather than criminalise them.
“If AMSG can mobilise governments, financiers and investors around the billion-dollar mineral corridors, we should also be capable of mobilising expertise and resources to prevent miners from entering unsupported pits without geological guidance, basic safety systems or credible emergency response, “he said.
Alake also signed the Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration, CIEAD, to provide the political assurance to co-ordinate bilateral and multilateral projects.
He said the declaration will facilitate predictable regional infrastructure and processing investment and encourage governments to collaborate on continental projects.
Earlier, Vice President Shettima called on AMSG to champion African industrial development by co-operating with foreign companies and governments based on shared values and mutual gains.
Stating that no foreign government can protect the interests of African countries better than the countries themselves, Vice President Shettima said Africa’s mineral resources must be used to modernise the continent and provide better living conditions.
The third AMSG High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals also featured discussion sessions involving experts from regional agencies, international institutions, and captains of the mining industry.
Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation Samaila Zubairu commended the AMSG, arguing that African countries can no longer wait to industrialise if they must feed, house and clothe a billion people in the next 24 years.
To confront the challenge, Zubairu said African governments must collaborate across regions as unilateral efforts cannot cope with the proportion of the problem.
News
Nigeria at 66: ‘We Must Not Lose Faith in Nigeria’ — FCC Boss Omidiran
Joel Ajayi
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Honorable Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of the nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary to renew their faith in Nigeria, strengthen national unity and recommit themselves to building a more inclusive and prosperous country.
In her 66th Independence Day message, Hon. Omidiran described October 1 as more than a celebration of freedom, saying the anniversary provides an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey, acknowledge its progress and challenges, and renew the collective determination to build a nation where every citizen has a sense of belonging.
According to the FCC Executive Chairman, the Federal Character Principle remains particularly important to the quest for national cohesion because equitable representation promotes a sense of ownership and confidence in the Nigerian project.
“Nigeria is a nation of great diversity and
enormous potential. Our responsibility is to ensure that this diversity becomes a bridge that connects us rather than a barrier that separates us. Every Nigerian deserves to feel that he or she belongs to this country and has a role to play in its development,” Omidiran said.
The FCC boss called on government institutions at all levels to remain committed to fairness, equity, accountability and inclusive governance, while urging citizens to support efforts aimed at strengthening national institutions and promoting peaceful coexistence.
“We must not lose faith in Nigeria. The challenges before us are real, but so are the opportunities and the enormous human and natural resources available to us. Every citizen has a responsibility to contribute his or her own quota to building the Nigeria we desire,” she stated.
The FCC Executive Chairman also urged young Nigerians to remain committed to acquiring knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship, innovation, sports and other productive ventures, describing the youth as critical stakeholders in the country’s future.
“As we celebrate 66 years of independence, let us remember that the Nigeria we want cannot be built by government alone. It requires the commitment of all of us – leaders and citizens, young and old, from every part of the federation. Together, we can build a Nigeria where justice, fairness, opportunity and peace are available to all,” she said.
Omidiran reaffirmed the FCC’s commitment to the effective discharge of its constitutional mandate and to supporting efforts that promote equitable representation and inclusive national development across the federation.
The former lawmaker wished Nigerians at home and abroad a peaceful and memorable 66th Independence Anniversary, praying for continued peace, stability, prosperity and progress for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Our differences should never be greater than our common identity as Nigerians. Let us continue to choose unity over division, service over self-interest and hope over despair. The Nigeria of our dreams is possible if we all play our part,” Omidiran said.
“On behalf of the Federal Character Commission, I congratulate all Nigerians on this 66th Independence Anniversary. May this occasion renew our patriotism, strengthen our unity and inspire us to work together for a stronger, more equitable and prosperous Nigeria. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she added.
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