Miners in Zamfara and Plateau states have expressed worry over the push for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the Chairman of the Zamfara State Miners and Sellers Association, Ahmed Lawal, said over one million youths relied on mining activities for survival in the northern part of the country, cautioning that halting their activities could push many into crime.
Lawal, who said the move would aggravate insecurity rather than curb it, explained that the December proposal by northern governors overlooked the reality that illegal mining thrives in remote forests beyond the reach of security agencies.
He urged the governors to rethink the suspension and to establish a regulatory agency that would help the government generate revenue and support jobless Nigerians.
In Plateau State, the Secretary of the Plateau Indigenous Miners Association, Pam Daniel, said suspending mining would devastate the livelihoods of thousands, urging the government to consider alternative solutions that address security concerns without harming the economy.