Miners Seek Interest-Free Loans From State And Federal Government

The Nigerian Association of Miners, Kogi State chapter, has called on the Federal Government, State Governments, and investors to provide enabling environment for small-scale and artisanal miners to grow their investment to contribute to the growth of the society.

During a sensitisation meeting with stakeholders at Ejule, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi, the miners also challenged youths, women, and the vulnerable to venture into the sector, saying it has the capacity to transform their social-economic lives.

Addressing the audience, the Chairman of the Association in the state, Oruma Yunusa, noted by assisting the sector with interest-free grants and loans will go a long way in removing the youths who constitute a high percentage of the population from the street thereby guaranteeing peace and security.

He added that in an attempt to rid the society of these negative tendencies in the youths, the association has decided to embark on advocacy to woo them into the business of artisanal and small-scale mining activities, across the state.

Yunusa explained that with training going on seamlessly, to adopt modern techniques in mining, lots of unemployed youths have keyed in while calling on them to form co-operative in order to access grants and loans to advance their business.

He appealed to the federal government to ensure easy access to grants and loans and to provide necessary equipment and infrastructure to help his members work effectively and efficiently.

In a remark, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Mines and power, Obasi Destiny, disclosed that the artisanal and small-scale miners constitute over ninety percent of mining activities across sub-Saharan Africa, hence, her importance in lifting the social-economic status of the people cannot be overemphasised.

He said the federal government through the ministry has packaged robust incentives that will encourage the youths, women, and the vulnerable who are willing to change their economic narratives, assuring that the sector can take huge numbers of youths and women out of Poverty.

He called on the miners to form cooperative societies in order to benefit from the numerous financial packages put in place by the government to help them advance their businesses.

He assured of the federal government’s interest in the development of the sector tailored towards fighting crimes and criminality among the youth and bringing prosperity to the people.

While commending the Association for embarking on sensitisation across the state, urged investors to be alive to the payment of royalties and to honour Community Development Agreement-CDA, to tame the tide of frequent clashes.