From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Gombe state has joined forces with the Federal Government (FG) to strengthen and enforce safety guidelines at mining sites across the state. According to the government, the collaboration is part of the efforts to ensure that the state’s mining sector operates within the best safety and environmental standards.
The partnership was unveiled by the Gombe State Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources Sanusi Ahmed Pindiga, during a tour to various quarry sites to assess and ensure strict adherence to mining safety guidelines and protocols.
According to Pindiga, the objective of the tour by the team which comprises the Federal Mines Officer in Gombe state and other officials of the ministry, was to inspect the operational sites of the quarry companies and to ensure compliance with mining guidelines and other safety protocols.
Sites visited and inspected by the team, include AYU Engineering, Grandscope, and Triacta quarries in Gombe and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state, where the Commissioner emphasized the need to prioritize safety and other crucial requirements. He underscored that mining companies within the state must engage in signing Community Development Agreements (CDAs) with host communities to ensure the provision of essential community services that align with the specific needs of the communities.
“We are conducting this inspection to evaluate the extent of compliance by these quarries with mining guidelines and safety protocols. This is part of our commitment to guarantee that the operations of these companies pose no harm to the environment and do not present any potential hazards to the well-being of the host communities,” he added.
On his part, the Federal Mines Officer in Gombe, Engr. Zakari Adamu emphasized the steadfast commitment of the federal government to enforcing mining guidelines across all mining companies operating in Gombe state.
He commended the companies visited for fulfilling their obligation of revenue remittance, underscoring the importance of this contribution to the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Solid Resources. He assured that the joint inspection will continue until all mining companies adhere to the laid down protocols.
Meanwhile, in their separate remarks, the Quarry Managers of the three companies asserted that their operational activities strictly adhere to established guidelines. They emphasized the use of Nonel for granite blasting, assuring that their practices are environmentally benign and pose no harm to the surrounding communities.