The Federal Government has earmarked N2.5billion for the procurement of satellite monitoring device for strategic monitoring of mining sites across the country.
The approval was given on Monday, by the federal Executive council.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the approval was informed by the need to safeguard investment in the sector, stressing that the satellites would provide real time information and activities going on at the mining sites.
He explained that gold mining activities is frost with cultural challenges, especially in northern Nigeria, including differences in land allocations at state levels.
According to Alake, it is not in doubt that lands in each states are controlled by the state governments, but where mineral is found in a particular state, the Federal Government takes prominence in controlling the resources.
He noted that illegal mining has cost the nation trillions of naira but revealed that the council has approved a new initiative to enhance regulation and curb revenue losses in the sector.
Akelicious reports that the council also approved provisional licenses for 11 new private Universities in the country.
The approved Universities includes.
1. New City University, Ayetoro Ogun State
2. University of Fortune, igbotako, Ondo State
3. Eranova University, Mabushi and
4. Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa who read out the list, shortly after the meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, said the President remains committed to expanding the frontiers of educational opportunities and infrastructure.
The latest approvals comes despite concerns from some quarters of proliferation of universities in the country.
Alausa said despite a moratorium on creation of Universities, the eleven new university applications have been pending with the National Universities Commission (NUC) hence their approval by the President.
