The Federal Government on Friday, cautioned the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle over statement which suggest s ownership of gold deposits in the state.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, who issued the warning said mineral products remain exclusively that of the federal government.
The Zamfara government had on Tuesday said it had commenced its gold reserve to reduce dependance on federal allocation’s.
The state Commissioner of Finance,Rabiu Garba, told reporters that, though, there was a federal government ban on mining activities in the country, the state government was able to purchase the comoditties from licenced miners.
He said ” At the moment,we have a pure gold reserve of over 30 kilos and as time goes by, we will continue to invest in this regard.
According to him, Zamfara like other states and nations will have its own mineral resources which is gold.
Garba expressed optimism that when the ban on mining activities is lifted, the state would receive royalties from miners with dividends also accruing to the state from the federal government.
The Zamfara insulated claim of gold resources deposited in the state has been seen as unfair by sections of the country particularly the Niger Delta whose large drposits of crude oil is used to service the center and all states of the federation.
Ibiase , a Niger Deltan said, The Federal Government should be fair to all and call the Zamfara people to order , not by mere statement but by putting it to practice.
He said “What will happen if the governors of the Niger Delta States also obtain licences for crude oil ownership and exports to enhance their states? “How many states in the Niger Delta own their own crude oil wells to lessen their dependance on the federal government?he added.
