Stakeholders in the mining industry under the auspices of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) have called on the Federal Government to immediately set up a committee that would monitor projects and disbursements connected with the $120 million World Bank loan sourced by the government for solid minerals sector in 2005.

The loan which was given in 2005 would expire in 2010, with $47 million still to be disbursed.

Chairman of the association, Sunday Ekozin, tabled the demands before the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals investigating the status of the World Bank loan.

Also, Committee Chairman, Thompson Sekibo, has said the probe was not intended to witch-hunt anyone connected with the loan.

Presenting the association's demands before the panel at the weekend, Ekozin urged government to "set up a committee that would consist of miners, the project monitoring unit, an arm of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and a representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance to inspect all completed and on-going projects.

"The committee would also ascertain their relevance or otherwise with the sole purpose of making such projects adaptable to the promotion of mining development in a sustainable manner.