The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has underscored the importance of collaboration with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to address boundary-related conflicts in mining regions.
During a meeting with NBC Director-General, Adamu Adaji, at his office yesterday, Alake highlighted the critical role the commission plays in facilitating smooth operations for the ministry, particularly in managing overlapping mining sites and ensuring access to relevant data.
The minister advocated for the transfer of geological data housed within the commission to the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). He emphasised that consolidating this data under NGSA would streamline access for organisations, making the NGSA a central hub for geological information.
“All geological data in the country should ideally be deposited in the NGSA office,” Alake said. “The primary responsibility of NGSA should not only be for the generation of data but also the depository of data as long as it is of geological nature.”
He continued, “This is crucial so that any agency, ministry, or organisation needing the data will just have one place to go, rather than searching several agencies. When data is fragmented, it becomes tedious for investors to gather the necessary data to guide their investment decisions.”
In response, Adaji confirmed the commission’s willingness to collaborate with the ministry and its agencies, ensuring well-defined boundaries in mining zones, especially where mining licences cross regional borders. He also committed to transferring any geological data in the commission’s custody to the NGSA.
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the NGSA and the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) will work closely with the NBC to resolve ongoing issues related to overlapping mining licences.