Miners lament hardship, beg govt to include them in palliatives distribution

Members of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) have cried out to President Bola Tinubu, asking to be included in the federal government’s palliatives following the removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant hardship it had thrown Nigerians into.

President of the Association, ‘Dele Ayanleke, who spoke with journalists in Abuja on Monday, lamented the suffering of his members as a result of the subsidy removal, adding that since the President made the announcement on May 29 in his inaugural speech, things were not the same with mines operators across the country.

The MAN President who highlighted several issues affecting the solid minerals sector as it concerns members of the association, pointed out that miners needed serious attention by the government to survive the harsh reality in operating in the sector.

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“We do not have palliatives for our members, even during COVID-19 pandemic, there was no palliative for our members,” he lamented.

“Even when we went to the Ministry’s Mining Cadastre Office, requesting palliative, and that they should consider us, may be waiving the annual fees for the operators during the two years of COVID-19 pandemic, but it was turned down and that is why we are having issues of not being up to date with our annual renewal and practice fees.

“Government should, this time around under the subsidy removal, give us palliative because all other sectors received palliatives that time of COVID-19 pandemic, and so it is good the government consider us for palliative this time around,” Ayanleke said.

He added that if their request is granted, “it will go a long way to reduce the current hardship miners are experiencing in their businesses and to make the sector active and productive since the focus is on solid minerals to become a major revenue earner for the country.”

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