By Tunji Braimoh, Abuja

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has disclosed that more than 4,000 abandoned mining pits exist across Plateau State, warning illegal miners against working in the dangerous sites without proper permits.

Alake made the disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, following the death of seven people in the collapse of a mine pit at Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.

The minister described the incident as tragic and said the deaths could have been avoided if the miners had formed a cooperative and obtained the necessary permits.

According to him, obtaining a permit would have enabled the miners to benefit from field training provided by the ministry’s Artisanal Mining Department, while also giving them access to a more sustainable source of income.

Alake urged artisanal miners across the country to learn from the incident and avoid entering abandoned mining pits without the required approvals and safety measures.

He commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State over the loss of lives and prayed for the repose of the victims.

“The challenge before the state and the Federal Government is how to turn these potential pits of death into centres of joyful prosperity,” Alake said.

The minister also called on investors to partner with the government to convert abandoned mining sites into productive ventures, particularly in the areas of energy, tourism and fisheries.

He said public-private partnerships remained one of the fastest ways to transform abandoned mining sites into productive assets, adding that the ministry had so far rehabilitated 59 abandoned pits.

To reduce the risks associated with investment in the sites, Alake said the ministry had launched a strategic initiative to deploy advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) satellite mapping and Artificial Intelligence.

The initiative, being implemented through a public-private partnership with ImPPPact Nigeria Alliance and geomatics specialist Intomatics, uses Plateau State as the pilot location. It is designed to accurately locate and characterise the thousands of abandoned tin pits and develop appropriate plans for their reclamation.

Alake encouraged interested investors to direct enquiries to the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office and the ministry’s Mines and Environmental Compliance Department. He also urged them to explore funding opportunities under the Solid Minerals Development Fund.

The minister said the government was also taking steps to prevent the recurrence of abandoned mining pits through the establishment of an Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Fund.

According to him, the initiative was created by activating an existing constitutional provision requiring mining operators to contribute to a fund that would be used to rehabilitate mining sites where companies fail to undertake the required reclamation after closure.

“Very soon, we shall conclude discussions with the fund managers. Thenceforth, mining companies must pay to the Fund so that it can rehabilitate mine pits if the companies don’t do so during closure,” he said.