The Council boss made the assertion when he visited the coal site in Olokwu, Omala local government area, Kogi State.
The inspection is in a bid to explore alternative sources of income considering the dwindling oil revenue that has pose serious challenge to the nation’s revenue.
According to the Administrator, “if this is properly harnessed, the local government will be able to boost its revenue. This is a way of looking inward to exploit our potentials in mining. Agriculture is one direction this administration is equally looking at, by hinging on the state and federal government’s agricultural policies to ensure food sufficiency for all”.
The practice of mining the coal has been going on unhindered, unchecked and there by depriving the local government some fair share of revenue. No royalties is been paid by these set of miners, or any legitimate return to the local government purse”.
The DPO in Omala, Alhaji Suleiman Liman said he will work together with the OC SS, Mr Bamidele Adeyeye and the Civil Defence Corps to open full scale investigation to identify those behind the mining activities, and expressed confidence that at the end of the facts finding, things will be put in proper perspective to avoid the local government loosing what is rightly due to it in form of royalty.
