The Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku has asked for the constitution to be reviewed with respect to mining rights.
Mining in Nigeria is presently for the most part under the purview of the Federal Government under the law, but Governor Ishaku is of the view that the exclusivity is limiting and should be looked into for amendments in order to enhance the development of the sector.
The governor stated that other state governors across the country have recommended solutions to the Federal Government in order to have a win-win situation, but the Federal Government has remained unresponsive.
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Governor Darius Ishaku made the comment on Saturday during the inauguration ceremony of the Governing Council of the Taraba State College of Agriculture at the Government House in the state’s capital, Jalingo.
“The mineral that is below the ground belongs to the Federal Government, but I have the right on the surface of the ground,” he said. “So how do you go under the ground without calling on the landowner to access it?
“That is the crux of the matter. And it hasn’t been resolved. The exclusivity of mining to the Federal Government is one of those things that people who are calling for the review of the constitution, among the several.
“So we find ourselves in this tight corner. Some of us have proffered so many solutions, as to how we can go about this to achieving a win-win solution for both the federal and state governments.”
