Senate passes Mines Rangers bill for third reading
Bill to establish Mines Rangers for prevention and combating illegal mining activities in Nigeria on Tuesday for third reading on the Senate.
The bill sponsored by Senator Mohammed Onaiwu (Nasarawa) was passed for third reading after the report of the committee on Solid Minerals Development was considered and adopted.
The Committee posited that establishment of Mines Rangers for prevention and combating illegal mining and other related crimes , was very necessary for revenue generation at both the State and federal levels and for proper diversification of the Nation’s economy.
The report reads : ” That many practitioners and stakeholders, particularly traditional rulers, supported the passage of the Bill given its strategic relevance to the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to unlocking the full potential of the mining sector to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian economy;
“That the passage of the Bill will address current security lapses in the Nigerian mining sector, thereby creating employment opportunities as well as promoting the development of local communities and reducing the exploitation of locals by illegal miners;
“That the support for the passage of the Bill is predicated on the fact that existing security agencies, military and paramilitary agencies are currently overwhelmed by other pressing internal security challenges such as insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, oil theft, etc., hence the need for a specialized ranger service like the proposed NMRS for the mining sector;
“That the enactment of the NMRS will leverage the existing National Unity and Peace Corps, which will save the country the logistics cost of starting the NMRS from scratch;
“That the Bill makes provisions for collaborative and intelligence sharing, which has been the bane of existing security agencies in the country. Thus, the fear of inter-agency rivalry or conflict has been essentially allayed;
That there Is an urgent need for the passage of the Bill because of its impact on national security, youth development, environmental sustainability, and prevention of exploitation of communities around mineral deposits.
“That the Bill seeks to eliminate and combat Illegal mining and associated crimes, which are currently driven by illegal immigrants, with serious national security Implications for the nation.
” That the Bill seeks to promote Indigenous capacity In the mining Industry and prevent the health and environmental hazards associated “.
After clause by clause consideration of the bill, the Senate accordingly passed it for third reading , which after concurrence by the House of Representatives , will be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent .
