News - Govt raises panel on control of commercial explosives

[TGD]

 AGAINST the backdrop of current security challenges and the recent explosive-induced blast in Lagos, the Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to forestall lapses in the importation, transportation, storage, sale and use of "commercial explosives" in the country.

In the same vein, the Federal Government Thursday inaugurated the boards of four parastatals under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.

They are the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada said that an inter-ministerial technical committee consisting of relevant ministries and security agencies has been mandated to review control of importation of ammonium nitrate and blasting accessories used in the formation of Improvised Explosives Devices (IED) by terrorists.

Speaking  in Abuja, the minister said at a meeting with stakeholders on explosives that it was imperative that explosives, which were regarded as indispensable materials used in the mining sector do not get into the wrong hands.

Sada faulted the role of the private sectors in the indiscriminate proliferation of such sensitive commodities while citing the tragic explosive detonations in Lagos recently.

He added: "As you are all aware, IEDs have been widely applied by terrorists in causing considerable damage to lives and properties especially in the Northern part of the country.

Speaking during  the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Trade and Investment,  Olusegun Aganga, said members of the newly constituted board comprised men and women of integrity, knowledge and experience in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Ortom, noted that the ministry and all its parastatals shared a common mandate anchored on: creating the enabling environment to stimulate domestic investment and attract foreign direct investment into all sectors of the economy and making Nigeria the most preferred investment destination, among others.



The Guardian