2 Nasarawa communities pledge support for Gov Sule on mining

The people of Amba and Agwada chiefdoms in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have said they are fully in support of steps taken by the state government under the leadership of Abdullahi Sule towards coordinating mining activities in their chiefdoms.  They also said the two chiefdoms, Amba and Agwada, were aware of the […]

The people of Amba and Agwada chiefdoms in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have said they are fully in support of steps taken by the state government under the leadership of Abdullahi Sule towards coordinating mining activities in their chiefdoms.

 They also said the two chiefdoms, Amba and Agwada, were aware of the state government’s commitment to ensure proper management and coordination of mining activities in the two communities and Nasarawa State in general.

They made the pledge in a communique jointly signed by the overseer of Agwada Development Area, Adamu Agye and district heads of Amba and Agwada Sylvester Inazi and Usman K.E, as well as village heads of Amba and Agwada, Mr Moyi Mathias and Alhaji Usman Abdullahi respectively.

 The communique, which was also signed by the traditional rulers of Amba and Agwada, Abubakar A. Obagu and Martins Kure Abashi and made available to newsmen on Thursday, noted that as people from the two communities where mining is about to take place, they were fully in support of the state government’s laid down rules.

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 The communiqué noted that the decision followed reports making the round in some media outlets that some indigenous miners were accusing the state government of interfering on mining activities in the state.

 “It was on this premise that we want to say that the people of Agwada and Amba chiefdoms are fully in support of the Nasarawa State Government on whatever decision it may think is the best for the development and progress of our communities”’ he said.

 According to him, the two communities have no knowledge of any consent given to companies claiming to be into mining, either by the village, district head or the paramount rulers of both Amba and Agwada chiefdoms.

 The communique, which was copied to the state government and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, commissioner of police in the state, and others, said the two communities only gave consent to Black Stones New Energy Limited and Black Gem New Energy Limited to carry out mining activities on their land.

“This was done after a careful assessment of the companies and they were proven to have the knowledge and capacity to establish both production and processing factories in the two communities.

 “We want to categorically state that any attempt by any individual or groups of individuals to bring or support activities of illegal miners in the two communities will be strictly resisted,” the communique stated.

 The two communities called on Alake and relevant agencies to disregard the purported story making the round on some social media platforms, saying such story was only aimed at destroying the good name and reputation of the governor.