General
FG Acquires 50 Vehicles to Crush Illegal Mining
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Federal Government on Thursday commissioned 50 operation vehicles for use by the Special Mines Surveillance taskforce and the State Minerals Resources and Environmental Management committee (MIREMCO) to fight its war against illegal mining activities in the country.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Kayode Fayemi, who handed over the vehicles to the heads of the operation units, said strengthening the surveillance unit with operational vehicles and gadgets was part of government’s strategy to strengthen units in all the states of the federation.
Mr Fayemi spoke just as the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, represented by AIG Taiwo Lakanu, said the re-introduction of Mines Police was to support the economic diversification efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration through effective security of the mines.
The commissioning of the vehicles was done at a brief ceremony at the Ministry in Abuja, witnessed by the Minister of State, Mr Abubakar Bawa Bwari; Permanent Secretary, Dr Abdulkadir Muazu, representative of the Inspector General of Police, AIG Taiwo Lakanu; Deputy Commandant General, Nigerian Civil Defence Corp, Kelechi Madu; and Chairman MIREMCO, Edo State, Mr Dan Inneh.
Mr Fayemi said the special surveillance task force and the MIREMCO had not been able to deliver effectively on their mandate due lack of required logistics, a situation, which according to him, has led to a surge in illegal mining activities.
“Considering the alarming rate the illegal mining has posed against the present administration’s efforts in diversifying the economy, Government has decided to take a coordinated approach to curtail the menace, sanitize the mines-field and position the sector on the path of sustainable development, hence the resuscitation of the Special Mines Surveillance Taskforce (SMSTF) in 2017. It may be recalled that the Task Force was establish in 2012,” he said.
Speaking further, the Minister said: “As a strategy to strengthen the Taskforce in all the States of the Federation and the FCT, 40 Toyota Hilux vehicles have been procured. The vehicles will be commissioned today and their usage flagged-off.
“I am optimistic that with the commissioning of these vehicles and the provision of necessary logistics for the operations of the Taskforce and MIREMCOs, the illegal activities would be reduced drastically and our relationship with our state governments would be strengthened.
“MIREMCO is a statutory mechanism established by Section 19 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 to create synergy between Federal, State and Local Governments for the Sustainable Development of Solid Minerals Resources in the Country. The Committee is to operate in all the States of the Federation including the FCT and its functions, as stipulated in the extant Act, is to advise the Minister on all issues relating to the Mineral Resources Development, Environmental Protection, Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources, conflict resolutions and other environmental and social issues. The Committee became operational with the inauguration of the 37 Committee chairman on the 19th August, 2017 in Abuja.
“Due to lack of required logistics, the Special Mines Surveillance Taskforce and MIREMCO could not deliver their mandates and this led to upsurge in the activities of illegal mining across the States of the Federation and strained relationship with States and Local Governments.
“The first fifteen (15) States with functional MIREMCOs have already received the sum of Five (5) Million Naira each, as mobilization grants and ten (10) Hilux pick-up Vehicles were procured for the first ten (10) States,” the Minister said.
The Police IG, who hailed the provision of surveillance vehicles said the force approved the setting up of the Mines Police following request from the Minister.
He said the Mines Police is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Tunde Mobayo, is saddled with the responsibility of securing the mines against the scrounge of illegal mining.
He explained that for its operations at the states, the Mines Police would work with the Counter Terrorist Unit of the Nigerian Police.
The Deputy Commandant General of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corp, Kelechi Madu, who hailed the provision of operation vehicles for the Mining surveillance said it would enhance optimal performance of the sector.
Madu revealed that over 500 illegal miners had so far been apprehended. While 21 have been convicted, some were released at the discretion of the Mines Offices in the states.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn