Devolution of mining functions to local district authorities

Historically, limited technical knowledge and institutional capacity within LGAs to manage mining activities have necessitated the continued centralization of key mining functions. This has constrained effective local oversight and is inconsistent with the principles of decentralization. At the same time, the Ministry’s limited human and financial resources have made it difficult to maintain a consistent presence across all mining districts. This has contributed to governance challenges, including inadequate monitoring of mining operations, increased safety incidents, environmental non-compliance, and the proliferation of illegal mining activities. Devolving selected functions to LGAs, supported by capacity building, clear institutional mandates, and resource deployment, is therefore necessary to strengthen mining governance, improve regulatory effectiveness, and enhance responsiveness to local mining issues.