Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has met with artisanal miners and other stakeholders in the mining sector, assuring them of government’s commitment to promoting safe, lawful and productive mining activities across the state.
The meeting was held at the Banquet Hall TY Danjuma House Jalingo.
The gathering brought together government officials, mining stakeholders, miners’ associations and representatives of mining communities to discuss the challenges facing artisanal and small-scale mining in Taraba.
Addressing the gathering, Governor Agbu Kefas said he convened the meeting because mining concerns both livelihood and life, noting that many families depend on artisanal mining for their survival.
He said government must therefore listen to the people involved in the sector, understand their challenges and support them to operate lawfully and productively.
The Governor announced plans to develop a Taraba Responsible Artisanal Mining and Community Health Standards, aimed at improving mining practices and protecting communities.
He said the government would protect water sources, train miners and health workers, while establishing a clear system for reporting and correcting dangerous mining practices.
Governor Kefas also urged the miners’ association to assist government in reaching its members and explaining policies that are practical and workable.
Speaking on the theme of the gathering, “Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Activities, Effects on the Environment and Mining Communities, and the Way Forward for Sustainable Development in Taraba State,” the Permanent Bureau for Solid Minerals, Mr Matsai David Angye, described the meeting as timely.
He said government was not seeking to stop artisanal miners from earning a living, but rather to organize, train and empower them for safer and more productive mining.
Stakeholders spoke at the occasion while representatives of artisanal miners from different parts of the state also addressed the meeting and presented their demands to the government.
The occasion also featured the presentation of an award to Governor Agbu Kefas, recognizing him as the “Most Mining-Friendly Governor.”
In another development, the Governor presented dummy cheques totaling two-point-five billion naira for various intervention programmes.
The sum includes five hundred million naira for Taraba CARES to support the empowerment of vulnerable households, one billion naira for the Taraba State Youth Development Agency, and another one billion naira for relief efforts in Karim Lamido and other crisis-affected communities across the state.
Governor Kefas directed the relevant committees to ensure that the funds are judiciously utilized, while urging them to uphold honesty, transparency and accountability in the implementation of the programmes.
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