The Federal Government has inaugurated donor development agencies to assist in bridging gaps and deficiencies in the Nigerian mining sector.
Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, performed the exercise on Friday in Abuja.
The agencies, which included the World Bank, UNIDO, UNDP, DFID, Open Society Initiative for West Africa, would help to solve the challenges confronting the sector to take its place of pride.
He said that the inauguration was also conducted to spell out their responsibilities to avoid duplication and unnecessary competitions
He said this would ensure that the agencies understood areas to assist the ministry in aligning with its mandates.
He said that the Department for International Development (DFID) would assist the ministry in financing cost of advisory and technical teams.
He said that Ford Foundation would finance the ministry’s strategic communication, environmental and social justice activities
He noted that Medecin San Frontiers would undertake a pilot clean up in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) communities affected by lead poison from the gold processing activities.
He, however, said that OSIWA would review the legal and regulatory obstacles in the sector, financing the ministry strategic communication activities, among others.
On UNIDO, he said it would assist the country to develop the Minamata Convention Initial Assessment and a National Action Plan on Mercury used in ASM gold mining as stipulated in the Convention.
The minister said that UNDP would assist the ministry to implement the African Mining Vision (AMV) and the framework for revenue collection, to address revenue leakages.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate