Section 19: Establishment of State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee.

(1) There is hereby established for each State of the Federation a Committee to be known as the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee, in this section referred to as "the Committee".
(2) The Committee in each State shall consist of-
(a) a representative of the Mines Environmental Compliance Department in the Ministry who shall be the chairman of the Committee ;
(b) a representative of the Ministry responsible for land matters or mineral related matters in the State ;
(c) the Mines Officer responsible for the State ;
(d) a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture or Forestry in the State ;
(e) a representative of the Surveyor-General of the State ;
(f) a representative of the Local Government Council when matters affecting the said Local Government Area are being considered by the Committee ;
(g) a representative of the State Environmental Department or Agency ;
(h) a representative of the Federal Ministry of Environment in the State.
(3) The functions of the Committee are to-
(a) consider and advise the Minister on issues affecting returns of necessary reports affecting grants of mining titles;
(b) consider issues affecting compensation and make necessary recommendations to the Minister ;
(c) discuss, consider and advise the Minister on the matters affecting pollution and degradation of any land on which any mineral is being extracted;
(d) consider such other matters relating to mineral resources development within the state as the Minister may, from time to time, refer to the Committee ;
(e) advise the Departments established in accordance with the provisions of this Act for the supervision of mineral Exploitation and the implementation of social and environmental protection measures ;
(f) advise the Local Govemment Areas and communities on the implementation of programs for environmental protection and sustainable management of Mineral resources ;
(g) advise and other necessary assistance required by holders of Mineral titles in their interaction with state govemments, local govemment councils, communities, civil institutions, and other stakeholders ;
(h) advise the Minister in resolving conflicts between stakeholders ; and
(i) advise the Minister in respect of matters connected with the implementation of this Act.
(4) The Committee shall-
(a) meet at least once every three months and at such times as the Minister may deem necessary ; and
(b) regulate its own procedure;
(5) The Chairman shall appoint a competent officer from the Mines Inspectorate Unit in the state to be the secretary of the Committee. The secretary shall have no right to vote at any meeting of the Committee.
(6) The Committee shall forward its report to the Minister after each meeting.
(7) Where the committee desires to obtain the advice of a host community or any other person on a particular matter, the committee may co-opt a representative of the relevant host community or any person as a member or such period as it thinks fit, but such a person shall not be entitled to vote in any meeting of the committee and his attendance shall not count towards a quorum.
(8) The chairman and three other members shall form a quorum at a meeting of the Committee.
(9) Every meeting of the Committee shall be presided over by the Chairman or, in his absence, by the Mines Officer for the State.
(10) If on any question to be determined there is an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote ; and
(11) The Committee shall have the power to determine its own procedure.