Governor Bello praises Kogi MIREMCO for efforts to streamline mining activities
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has applauded efforts of the state Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) to streamline the activities of miners in accordance with the country's land reclamation laws.
He made the commendation on Thursday at the Glass House of the State Government House in Lokoja in an address to declare open the inaugural Kogi MIREMCO stakeholders meeting.
Governor Bello who was represented by the state commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon Sanusi Usman Yahaya, restated the commitment of his administration to continue its efforts at ensuring that the resources nature has deposited in the state work for the people's benefits.
While describing the state as the Mineral Resources Headquarters of Nigeria, the Governor re-echoed the call for the federal government to give special attention to Kogi State in view of its role as an area with huge resource deposit.
He reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure that miners meet up with their Corporate Social Responsibility by giving back to the people part of what they take from their lands.
In a welcome address at the event, the Chairman of Kogi State MIREMCO, Hajiya Hassiat Suleiman said the committee has successfully given mining communities needed avenues to air their grievances against the activities of some mining operators.
She noted that the committee, under her watch, has also been able to ensure that operating companies comply with global best practices in their operations and successfully arbitrated several complaints and petitions against operators by members of the communities.
She recalled that MIREMCO was established in recognition the state placed on solid minerals as veritable resources for economic diversification.
Kogi MIREMCO, Hajiya Hassiat said, carries out many impacting activities on the efforts to ensure land reclamation as a result of mining activities such as workshops among other forums aimed at disseminating information about functions of the committee and the solid mineral as a whole.
She mentioned the duties of the committee to include outreach and awareness creation on mining communities as well as sensitization of artisans on the health and environmental risks of crude mining among others in conjunction with Kogi State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
“We also, on occasions, carry out routine inspection of sites when called upon to do so,” she stated, and appealed to the federal ministry of mines and steel to sustain and improve on its support in terms of funding and mobilization to ensure the committee's success.
She praised the effort of Kogi State Government under Alhaji Yahaya Bello for the support the committee has enjoyed so far, noting that the successes they have recorded so far were owing to the governor's continuous support.
In their various goodwill messages, advisers to the state governor on Land Development, Security, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Solid Minerals, Hajiya Ladi Ibrahim; Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd); Hon Abubakar Ohere; Abdulmumuni Okara; and Hon Charles Umoru; all praised the state leadership of MIREMCO for its commitment to addressing mineral related challenges being faced in Kogi State.
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