The Nasarawa State Government says it has entered into a partnership with the security agencies in the state to ensure that illegal miners across its 13 local government areas stop their activities or get arrested and made to face the law.

The state House of Assembly had lamented the negative impacts of illegal mining in the state, especially in the Kokona Local Government Area.

The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Ibrahim Tanko, disclosed this during a ministerial press briefing in Lafia, the state capital, on Tuesday.

The briefing was held to mark the two-year anniversary of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s second term in office.

Tanko explained that the state government had declared zero tolerance for illegal mining, adding that the government’s action was aimed at ensuring that the mining sector in the state is completely free from all forms of illegality.

The Commissioner explained that illegal mining not only poses a significant threat to the environment and natural resources in the state but also undermines the livelihoods of countless indigenous miners who abide by the regulatory framework.

He noted that the state government is aware of the need for all communities endowed with mineral resources to be protected from infiltration by unidentifiable entities and individuals, hence the need for the government to begin the clampdown on illegal mining companies across the state.

The commissioner urged mining companies willing to do business in the state to ensure that they pass through all the necessary processes as required by law to enable them to get the licenses to operate in the state.

He further explained that the state government was already partnering with security agencies in the state to ensure that illegal miners are tracked down and made to face the law, adding that the state had declared zero tolerance for illegal mining across its LGAs.

While commending Sule for embarking on numerous projects in the state since he was first elected into office in 2019, he appreciated the governor for attracting investors to the state, especially in the mining sector which had created thousands of employment opportunities for the youths.

Tanko reiterated the state government’s commitment to continue to mount surveillance on mining sites, adding that any mining site found not following the laid-down laws of the state would be shut down.

“What we are doing is to ensure that the right thing is done. Any mining company coming to Nasarawa State has to go through the necessary processes. We need to know them so that we can work together for the good of the state.

“Governor Abdullahi Sule has been delivering the dividends of democracy since he was first elected into office in 2019. We are committed to ensuring that we take our dear state to greater heights, so we will not be distracted in building the Nasarawa State of our dreams,” he stated.

On his part, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Yakubu Kwanta, expressed his gratitude to Sule for approving the construction of three mini-stadia in the three senatorial districts of the state.

Kwanta further commended the state’s contingents for winning 18 medals during the just concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State.

He urged them to remain dedicated, committed and disciplined in their sporting activities in order for them to achieve more wins for the state in future tournaments.