NGSG TO END ILLEGAL MINING, TASK ARTISAN MINERS TO FORM COOPERATIVES

Niger State Government has expressed determination to end activities of illegal Miners.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Hon. Garba Sabo Yahaya during an interface with news men in his office today.

He said while the Ministry was ready to clamp down on illegal Miners, a window of engagement with the miners was opened to peacefully end the illegality.

The interface was coming on the heels of the marching order given by Governor Umar Mohammed Bago to the Ministry to curtail illegal mining activities in the state.

The Commissioner reiterated that contrary to some views that the Governor’s directive was aimed at witch hunting a set of people in the State, the Governor’s intention was aimed at purging the sector of activities that poses a threat to security of lives and properties.

The Commissioner advised the artisan Miners to form a cooperative stressing that it will make it easy for them to access any intervention from the government through their leadership.

Garba Sabo Yahaya maintained that mining activities must be checked and regulated by the government as well as consent of land owners emphasising that the practice where illegal miners trespass without consent of land owners will no longer be tolerated.

“We will soon engage with land owners because we owe it a duty to protect their interest for the sake of peace.

We have a Company called Zuma Mineral Resources we will woo investors and will make sure we provide an enabling environment for investments including making sure those Investors carry out all the Cooperate Social Responsibility for the benefit of our people” He said.

He said all hands must be on deck to ensure that there is peaceful cooperation in the state.

Dibie Maureen
Information Officer
Niger State ministry of Mineral Resources
1/9/2023