Legal gold mining license holders and investors in solid minerals in Edo, yesterday, called on the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to halt activities of illegal miners in the state.

Dagbala in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, with large deposit of gold, has become operational base of illegal miners, who are said to be disrupting activities of genuine miners.

Besides, the miners expressed reservations that not much was being done on several petitions to the ministry through the zonal mines office in the state, lamenting that some of them have been forced to abandon their sites because of the activities of illegal miners to avert physical clashes.

Macana Company Limited Operating Officer in Dagbala, Fatai Jimoh, made the call after a meeting between the management and the traditional institution, led by the Okaku I of Dagbala, Albert Agbebaku, to discuss ways the company can return to site after being forced to abandon its operational area because of activities of illegal miners.  

“The illegal miners have graduated from working without papers, while some with papers work in an area where they do not have jurisdiction or license to mine gold or any mineral. They parade fake licence to hoodwink security men when they are confronted.  

“We have reported to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, we wrote to the mining cadastral office, Abuja over this matter. My advice is that the ministry should come out with stronger terms and free itself from the possibility of trying to support any miners without licence,” Jimoh said..