Communities protest closure of quarry in Bunkure

The people of Kuruma, Mashaura and Bunkure communities in Bunkure local government area of Kano state have protested closure of a quarry in the area by the Kano State House of Assembly, Kano Chronicle can report. Secretary, Kuruma Development Society, Malam Ibrahim Shu’aibu, who led the protest, said no concrete reason was given by the […]

The people of Kuruma, Mashaura and Bunkure communities in Bunkure local government area of Kano state have protested closure of a quarry in the area by the Kano State House of Assembly, Kano Chronicle can report.

Secretary, Kuruma Development Society, Malam Ibrahim Shu’aibu, who led the protest, said no concrete reason was given by the state assembly for the closure of the quarry, adding that, over 150 villagers whom were directly benefitting from the quarry’s activities had been rendered jobless.

He said when a Chinese engineering company setup the quarry, the people of the area considered the development as an opportunity for them to make a living.

However, few years into its operation, the quarry was closed down for six months now, a situation that led members of the affected villages to take to the streets of the local government in protest of the development.

“We eke-out a living as workers in this quarry. Initially we felt neglected but when the quarry begun operation we saw opportunities to earn a means of livelihood and to end redundancy among our youth, especially after rainy season. Then all of a sudden the quarry was closed down for reasons best known to the state house of assembly,” Shu’aibu said.

Malam Isuhu Dogo Zangon-Buhari, one of the protesters, said aside the employment opportunities provided by the quarry, the firm had entered into agreement with the representatives of the villages to execute about 15 projects in the communities as corporate social responsibility.

“Kuruma, Mashaura and Bunkure town are the three villages that are within the area of operation of the quarry and we have forwarded about 15 areas where we want the company’s intervention and the management has accepted the proposal but now the company has been closed down. Our youths are now redundant, that is why we are on the streets on a peaceful protest to plead with the authority to come to our plight and save the situation,” Dogo said.

It was also gathered that, the closure of the company was based on a request issued to the authorities of the state house of assembly that the quarry’s operations posed ecological hazard to the communities, a claim the protesters faulted.

“They claimed that the operation of the company in this area has ecological hazard on us, but we have not seen it. They said the blast sound was too much and the company had agreed to reduce it to 40%. It seems there are some things that the communities were not being told or the whole issue has a political inclination,” another protester Ibrahim Miko told Kano Chronicle.

On his part, Kano state zonal officer of federal ministry of mines and steel development Malam Salisu Inuwa, said his office had no hand in the closure of the firm, adding that the management of the quarry had followed all necessary process in establishing company.

“On receiving complaint of the communities, we have written to the state house of assembly intimating the members that they have no right to close the company, as closure of any erring mining site is an exclusive duty of the federal ministry of mines and steel development. We are waiting for the response of state assembly which I believe will be positive,” the state zonal officer said.