Plateau State Governor Mutfwang has identified illegal mining as a major contributor to the rising insecurity in the state. This, he explained, prompted the recent Executive Order he signed to suspend all mining activities.
Speaking at the Government House in Jos during an interactive session with journalists, where he reviewed his administration’s performance over the past two years, Governor Mutfwang noted that while the state’s vast mineral resources have the potential to generate substantial revenue, they have unfortunately become a source of violent conflict. According to him, criminal elements have been exploiting these resources to fund their operations, wreaking havoc on local communities.
Governor Mutfwang expressed concern over the activities of armed bandits who, with the backing of sponsors supplying them with advanced weapons, invade mineral-rich communities, forcibly displace residents, and take control of mining operations illegally.
Justifying the Executive Order, which critics had described as a way of stifling small-scale businesses, the governor said his administration aimed to effectively regulate the mining industry so that the people who are engaged in it legally would not be exploited.
Governor Mutfwang noted that mining is a crucial economic driver, which could help the state and the investors to benefit greatly if done right.
He stressed that illegal mining has remained a big challenge for the state, which informed his decision to sign the order that temporarily suspended all mining activities in the state so that a committee can sit down and come up with a workable template that would regulate the money-spinning sector for the benefit of all.
Governor Mutfwang also emphasized that part of the insecurity being faced in the state is driven by the mineral attacks which are often aimed at displacing communities so criminals can access deposits, vowing that his administration would not fold its hands and allow indigenous people to be chased out of their lands.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
