By Abubakar Yunusa
The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has expressed regret that, despite the state’s abundant deposits of solid minerals, it is currently not generating any revenue from them.
However, he noted that the Federal Government’s lifting of the ban on solid minerals had given him the opportunity to engage with investors who could help develop the sector and boost the state’s revenue.
“I am happy now that the Federal Government has lifted the ban on solid minerals, and if you follow the trend, just last month we had a meeting with some private sector that has investment in Zamfara State,” Governor Lawal said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
“That is exactly what we are doing now to try to bring the private sector to invest in the solid minerals aspect in collaboration with the state government as well as the Federal Government, and if that works out well, it means additional revenue for Zamfara State as well as the Federal Government.
“But as we speak now, there is no single revenue as far as solid minerals are concerned that is coming to Zamfara State, which is unfortunate.”
The governor is optimistic that once investments in solid minerals begin to yield results, Zamfara will no longer need to rely on allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to cover its expenses.
“And part of what I am doing now under my administration is to really look at this holistically and begin to put all the mechanisms in place and bring investors in Zamfara State that will be able to invest in solid minerals.
“By the time we do that, I don’t think we will be relying on FAAC anymore, we will be more than comfortable so as to develop Zamfara State and move the state forward,” he said.
‘Security Has Improved’
Zamfara is one of the states that have been battling insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria over the years, but Governor Lawal said he has been able to improve security in the state in the last two years.
He said that upon assuming office, he established Community Protection Guards in all the Local Government Areas, who have been working alongside conventional security agencies to combat banditry in the state.
The governor reiterated his refusal to negotiate with insurgents but added that anyone willing to surrender unconditionally is welcome to do so.
