Miners seek review of conditions for obtaining N5 billion loans

Miners have urged the Federal Government to review the conditions for obtaining the N5billion loan proposed for the sector’s development.

They made the call in Jalingo, Taraba State at a policy dialogue organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD).

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) was also a partner in organising the discourse.

Hajiya Adama Audu, Mohammed Zanna Bakari, Andekembe Isaac, Isa B. Audu, and Omaojor Ogedoh, made the call in a communiqué.

The miners implored the civil society organisations in the mining sector to build journalists’ capacity to achieve professional and balance reportage.

They also implored journalist to reciprocate by visiting mining sites before publishing stories in the sector.

According to them, mining had been made difficult due to the non-constitution of the Mineral Resource and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO).

The participants argued that it was statutory to establish the committee in line with the Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 in Taraba State.

While urging the state to urgently inaugurate the MIREMCO committee, they solicited higher levies and taxes to discouraged exports of mineral resources from the country.

They expressed concern about the licensing and regulatory operations by the Federal Government, which they said, has caused hostility to private mining operations.

The participants urged the government to “give proper logistics support to the security of the personnel working at mining sites.

“Government should ensure that the security personnel carries out their duty with fairness and professionalism, with clear observance of the rules of engagement.”