Nasarawa: Assist Your Host Communities To Develop, Gov Sule Encourages Mining Firms

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasawara State has enjoined various mining companies operating within the state to assist their host communities to develop, by executing people oriented projects.

He stressed that such corporate social responsibility would not only enhance the operations of the companies, but also assist in the overall development of the state.

The governor spoke during the flag off of road construction and drilling of boreholes in Uke, a community in Karu Local Government Area of the State, a project that was initiated by a mining company, Hasetins Commodities Limited (HCL).

Represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Kwanta Yakubu, governor Sule, urged other companies operating in the state to emulate Hasetins’ practice of executing projects in its host communities.

He noted that the projects, being executed in Uke community, conformed with the Nasawara state government’s seven-point agenda, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which he said was meant to touch the lives of rural dwellers.

He reiterated the commitment of the state government to partner with investors from within and outside the country to ensure the development of the state.

“I want to commend them, because this is the kind of investment and industrialisation that we are looking for.

“They are not only building facilities, they are engaging about 80 per cent of our indigenes.

“We will be visiting and inspecting the projects to support them,” governor Sule added.

In his remarks, the firm’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Peter Butt, said the projects were part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Butt said Hasetins decided to bring a different approach to its engagement with host communities of solid minerals to ensure mutual benefits.

He said: “We will train people, employ and engage them. We will build roads to enable farmers, traders to have access to markets.”

More so, Butt, decried that Nigeria has the second lowest life expectancy at 52 years, which he said was estimated at 56 deaths per 1,000 births.

“This is due to poor drinking water and we will drill boreholes to get clean drinking water to the communities,” he added.

On his part, the Sarkin Uke, His Highness, Ahmed Abdullahi, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the community towards the achievement of the objectives of the company.

The traditional ruler noted that the community is populated by diverse ethnic and religious groups from across the country who have continued to live together in harmony.

He assured that residents of the community will work together for the protection of investments of companies operating within their territory, saying they would do everything possible to protect facilities of the firms.