Miners to FG: Be considerate with licence fee review

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has appealed to the federal government to be considerate with licence rates review.

Dele Ayanleke, MAN national president, spoke on Thursday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

On May 2, FG announced plans to review rates of mining licences and other sundry fees payable by operators in the country.

The government said the review is imperative to boost the capacity of the government to effectively reposition the mining sector.

Ayanleke said the association is aware that factors like inflation and the exchange rate have increased the cost of running the government.

He said despite these factors, it is important for the government to be fair when determining the new rates, adding that the association remain patriotic and recognises the need for periodic reviews.

The head of the association said the government should leverage the increased activity in the sector to generate revenue for social and infrastructural development in the country.

‘STATES INTERFERENCE INCREASING COST OF DOING BUSINESS’

Ayanleke acknowledged the government’s efforts in fostering a conducive business environment and encouraged the government to align the legal and regulatory framework of mining laws between the federal and state governments.

He said the interpretation of the laws is creating challenges for title holders with state governments nationwide, potentially hindering efforts to attract investors to the sector.

“Also, the issue of state government interference is increasing cost of doing business in the mining sector,” Ayanleke said.

“We all know what the constitution says about mining; it is in the exclusive list, there are provisions between local and host communities but what we are experiencing now is deviation from the norms.

“The state governments are setting up their own regulatory framework and structure, and all these come with their own regulatory levies, and some conditions may be difficult for the titleholders to meet.

“It is also bringing a lot of confusion in the sector on government`s dedication to bring investors, there is need for government to re-enact its laws and be solely committed to address this situation and speak with one voice.”

Ayanleke said if any gaps were identified, convening a roundtable discussion would be beneficial in addressing the issues.

“The state government should come forward and state their grievances, agitations and visions on mining,” he said.

“Let them bring it to the table for holistic review, so that we come up with policies and regulations to meet the yearnings of all tiers of government.”

Ayanleke said the state governments establish revenue streams that are not recognised by existing laws, disregarding the established framework.