Katsina State identifies 442 mining sites, 547 artisanal miners — commissioner

THE Katsina State Government says it has identified no fewer than 422 mining sites across the state after it conducted mineral sites inventory.

The Commissioner of Resource Development, Alhaji Mustapha Kanti-Bello disclosed this during an Empowerment and Sensitisation Programme for Artisanal Miners in the state.

Kanti-Bello also said that the government had identified 547 artisanal miners in the state.

He said that the ministry would partner with some mining companies to carry out a comprehensive geochemical survey of some selected mining titles available in the state.

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This, he said was to ascertain the commercial viability of the mineral resources.

“This will provide the required information for investors in the sector now and in the future.

“The need for the artisanal miners to have value for their products has been of utmost priority to the ministry, hence the establishment of a mineral buying centre to coordinate the activity of buying and selling of minerals at their standard value,’’ he said.

According to him, efforts are ongoing to collaborate with the private sector to establish the centre.

“Designs, bill of quantities and land acquisition for the centre have been completed. The centre will be located at Kankara, in Kankara Local Government Area of the state,’’ he said.

Kanti-Bello urged artisanal miners to come together, form cooperative societies and register with the appropriate authorities to benefit from government support.

This he noted was in accordance with the provisions of Mining Act, 2007, and other relevant laws.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government distributed working tools to various groups of artisanal miners operating in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Ashiru Danmasanin-Jibia commended the state government for the gesture and promised that they would make judicious use of the items.

Also speaking, one of the artisanal miners, Kabir Muhammad appealed to the state government to provide security to the artisanal miners at mining sites.