Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has reiterated the state government’s commitment in partnering with investors from within and outside the country, towards the development of the state.
The governor disclosed this on Thursday, during the flag off of road construction in Uke communities, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The road construction as well as boreholes construction formed part of Corporate Social Responsibility by a mining firm, Hasetins Commodities Ltd.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony, the governor represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Kwanta Yakubu, observed that the projects being executed for the communities is in line with the state government’s seven-point agenda and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to touch the lives of rural dwellers.
He commended the company for the kind gesture, adding that the firm is giving to its host communities despite being new.
“I want to commend them because this is the kind of investment and industrialisation that we are looking for; they are not only building facilities, they are engaging about 80 per cent of our indigenes,” he said.
“We will be visiting and inspecting the project to support it,” he added, while calling on others to emulate the gesture.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hasetins Commodities Ltd, Peter Butt, disclosed that the firm decided to bring a different approach to its engagement with host communities of solid minerals with an engagement that ensures mutual benefits.
“We will train people, employ and engage them,” he said.
“We will build roads to enable farmers, traders to have access to markets,”,he added.
While linking the low life expectancy in Nigeria to poor quality of water and hygiene, the CEO maintained that with its multi-million naira surface and deep water boreholes to be constructed in the host communities, the people will in the shortest time overcome the challenges.
“Nigeria has the second lowest life expectancy at 52 years, which is caused by 56 deaths per 1,000 births.
“This is due to poor drinking water and we will drill boreholes to get clean drinking water to the communities,” he assured.
Welcoming the mining firm, the Sarkin Uke, His Highness, Ahmed Abdullahi, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the community towards the achievement of the objectives of the investment.