Mining: FG seeks to minimise impact on environment

The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Environment are taking collaborative steps to ensure that mining operations in the country have minimal adverse impact on the environment.

This, it said, is in line with international best practices.

Dr Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, made this known on Monday via a statement signed by Mr Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the minister in Lagos.

Alake said this while receiving the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal.

He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to securing mining areas whilst removing impediments to seamless operations.

He added that the President Bola Tinubu led administration was ready to ensure that mining processes conformed to global standards of negligible harmful impact on the environment.

Responding, the minister of environment, emphasised that issues on security around the mining sites and environmental degradation as a result of mining operations must be addressed.

“Recently, the minister launched a solid minerals roadmap, which I think took care of the issue of the environment because whenever there is mining, the environment will be affected one way or the other.

“So, we are working very closely to see that whatever is being done will be within the limit of tolerable impact on the environment,” Lawal added.