Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has expressed disappointment over the state’s failure to generate any revenue from its vast solid mineral resources, despite their abundance.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today aired on Channels Television, Lawal said,
“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.”;;
He, however, welcomed the Federal Government’s recent decision to lift the ban on mining activities, describing it as a vital step that would attract private sector investment into the state’s dormant solid minerals sector.
“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,”;; he noted.
“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.”;;
Governor Lawal said his administration is laying the foundation for sustainable development by positioning Zamfara to benefit fully from its natural resources.
“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.”;;
Zamfara, long plagued by insecurity and banditry, has also recorded progress in stabilizing its internal security environment, according to the governor.
He said that one of his first moves in office was to establish Community Protection Guards across all local government areas. These local units, he explained, are complementing the efforts of conventional security agencies in the fight against criminal groups.
Governor Lawal reaffirmed his administration’s firm stance against negotiating with bandits, while also expressing openness to unconditional surrenders:
“We are not negotiating with insurgents, but if anyone wants to surrender unconditionally, we are ready to receive them,”;; he said.
