The senior special assistant (SSA) to the Kwara State governor on solid minerals, Kwara State, Mr Shehu Abdulrahman Kwara, has said that its recent move to institutionalise the operation of informal miners in the state was not only for transparency but also to create employment opportunities in the sector.

He said that the initiative would also engender efficient revenue collection, provision of socio-economic infrastructure as well as general growth and development advantages for the state, and particularly the host communities.

The SSA stated this when he visited the palaces of the emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar, and the Oloro of Oro land, Oba AbdulRafiu Ajiboye Oyelaran I, in the company of his counterpart on Artisan Related Matters, Mr Oyedele Adetula, during the visit which took them to mining sites in the areas.

According to him, "The visit was to take stock of the number of informal miners across the state. Abdulrahman explained that the miners would be clustered into cooperatives and registered accordingly while necessary permits would also be acquired for them, pointing out that such move would practically create an avenue for government's interventions, especially in the area of provision of advanced mining equipment."

Responding, the emir of Kaiama said that the state is blessed with mineral resources and requires a lot of investment by the government and other investors for it to achieve more positive changes with solid minerals. He applauded the state government for embarking on the initiative, adding that empowering and formalising the activities of the miners as promised by the government would further help in the development of the state and the host communities.

Also speaking, the Oloro of Oro said that the initiative was coming at a time when his community needed partnership with the government and other investors.