By ALABA OLUSOLA OKE

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, says no fewer than 90 mining sites have been recovered from illegal miners across the country.

Alake made the disclosure in Akure on Thursday at the ongoing South-West stakeholders’ dialogue organised by Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba social-cultural group; DAWN Commission, and South-West governors.

The theme of the two-day summit is: “Strengthening Democracy Through Dialogue: Assessing Progress. Charting the Future.”

He added that over 300 illegal miners had been arrested with 50 of them being prosecuted, stating that over 20 illegal miners had been convicted since the inception of the present administration.

According to him, the ministry in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has established mining marshals with a purpose to secure mining sites.

The minister noted that the Federal Government raked in N28 billion as revenue in 2024 from the ministry, adding that the ministry over-performed on its budgetary target in 2024.

Alake said that the current administration’s policy on mining was that the mined minerals should not be exported raw except undergone local process in giving it value chain.

He cautioned traditional rulers not to connive with illegal miners irrespective of financial inducements, saying the future of the country must not be traded.

Also speaking, Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun, asked the stakeholders in the South-West not to allow party politics to divide them in achieving oneness and togetherness that would bring desired development.

Adeleke, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi, said that the summit would amount to waste of time and a mere repetition if resolutions are not put into actions.

He said that as the descendants of Odua, people of the South-West must forgive one another and allow peace, mutual understanding to achieve the desired unity.

The governor said that the state government’s plans to enhance collaboration with the federal structure was clouded by political partnership actively promoted by operatives of the ruling political party at the centre.

“We discovered over time that partisan consideration has become the yardstick for federal interactions with Osun State.

“A development that threatens to fracture inter-governmental relations.

“Even with the pace of positive reach-out, it is sad to note that some operatives of the ruling federal party have adopted an adversarial approach to Osun State.

“Federal projects and initiatives are now being routed to party structures instead of Osun State government machinery.

“Nominations and access to federal opportunities are channelled to party organisations with official state structures deliberately excluded,” he said.

In his remarks, the Director-General of the Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN), Dr Seye Oyeleye, said the summit was an opportunity to build institutions capable of bridging inter-regional divides.

“We seek platforms that create pathways to collaboration around our shared values, shared heritage, and shared destiny.

“History teaches us that progress is built on partnerships, not isolation.

“We must ensure that this becomes an enduring institutional platform through which South-West engages with the Federal Government, starting from today and into the foreseeable future,” he stated. (NAN)