Date: 2016-04-06

The Kwara State government has said that its recent move to institutionalize the operation of informal miners in the state was not only for transparency but also to create employment opportunities in the sector.

Beside, the government maintained that the initiative would also engender efficient revenue collection, provision of socio-economic infrastructure as well as general growth and development advantages for the state and particularly the host communities.

Senior Special Assistant to the state Governor on Solid Minerals, Mr Shehu Abdulrahman, said this when he visited the palaces of Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar and Oloro of Oro Kingdom in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state, Oba Abdulrafiu Ajiboye Oyelaran I.

The governor's aide was in company of his counterpart on Artisan Related Matters, Mr Oyedele Adetula, during the visit, which primarily took them to mining sites in the areas.

The visit was to enumerate informal miners across the state.

Abdulrahman explained that the miners would be clustered into cooperatives, and registered accordingly while necessary permits would also be acquired for them, pointing out that such move would practically create an avenue for government's interventions, especially in the area of provision of advanced mining equipment.

Responding, the Emir of Kaiama said the state was blessed with mineral resources but required a lot of investment by the government and other investors for the state to achieve more positive changes.

He applauded the state government for embarking on the initiative, adding that empowering and formalizing the activities of the miners as promised by the government, would further help in the development of the state and the host communities. Also speaking, the Oloro of Oro said the initiative was coming at a time when his community needed partnership with the government and other investors. The monarch opined that mining operations should provide socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders, just as he added that the community had been realizing little benefit from private investors in the area over the years. He also advocated the need to carry the community along in all the mining activities.