The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called on the federal government to publish all agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) entered into with investors in the mining and solid minerals sector, insisting that transparency must precede accountability.
A statement from her Media Office on Sunday, explained that the Senator spoke during a Senate session on solid minerals oversight.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, the statement added, urged the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to invoke the Freedom of Information Act and make all contractual documents available both to the National Assembly and the general public.
She said such openness was crucial for building citizens’ trust and preventing the mistakes that have long plagued Nigeria’s oil industry.
She said, “We would like them to be made available to Nigerians, all the various MOUs you have entered into.
“It’s from when you begin to disclose your engagements and contracts that we can begin to say our government is transparent. And it’s from transparency that Nigerians can begin to hold our government accountable.”
The senator, a lawyer and development advocate, noted that Nigeria could not meaningfully demand accountability in the solid minerals sector if basic transparency mechanisms were absent.
She urged the ministry to take advantage of the digital era by publishing all relevant documents on its official website for public access.
She said, “We are in the digital age, and it won’t take much to publish all this information.
“We cannot demand accountability if the various MOUs are not made public. Nigerians deserve to know who is exploiting their resources and under what terms.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents one of Nigeria’s most mineral-rich regions, tied her call for openness to the plight of her constituents in Kogi Central.
She lamented that despite hosting over 52 commercially viable mineral deposits; her people have remained trapped in poverty while foreign and local interests profit from their natural endowments.
She said, “Kogi State, particularly Kogi Central, has over 52 solid minerals in commercial quantity. Yet we are people impoverished in the land of plenty.
“Each time I meet with my communities, they ask when they will begin to benefit from these abundant minerals.”
The lawmaker expressed surprise at her recent discovery of Nigeria’s untapped wealth in precious stones such as ruby, emerald, and tourmaline.
“She said she was shocked to learn, during a private discussion with a colleague, that some of these gemstones are already being extracted in certain states without commensurate revenue accruing to the nation.
She said, “For the first time, I got to know that my community is going to benefit from these minerals.
“Nigeria has ruby, emerald, and tourmaline, particularly in Cross River State, where these minerals are being extracted and exploited. But I do not think Nigeria is deriving any significant revenue from that.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan cautioned the federal government against allowing the solid minerals sector to become another conduit for corruption and unregulated exploitation, as happened in the oil industry.
While commending the current Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake, for his energetic reform drive, she warned that speed should not replace due diligence.
She said, “It is very important that in the solid mineral sector, we must be careful. May I applaud the Honourable Minister’s initiative. His drive is commendable but we must apply brakes to ensure we cross our T’s and dot our I’s.
“We cannot afford to fall into the same pitfalls that have plagued the oil sector for decades.”
The Senator demanded full disclosure of the inflows and balances in the National Resources Fund, which she said receives 1.68 percent of special funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
She said, “I would like one of you to explain how much we have generated over time into the National Resources Fund.
“Because I repeat, 1.68 per cent goes in every time from the special funds, which itself is derived from the Federation Account. How much have we generated in the past three years, and how much do we have in there now?”
Sunday Aborisade
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