A youth group under the aegis of Kompany Host Community Development Union has urged the Federal Government to open the mining site located at Zurak town of Wase Local government area of Plateau state.
The group made the called through its Secretary, Muhammad Nuhu during an interview with Benue/Plateau Trust at Zurak town of Wase local government area of Plateau state on Monday.
The Federal government closed down the mining site at the Zurak town eight months ago and arraigned the Managing Director, Solid Unit Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu alias Dan-China and 25 others on charges of engaging in illegal mining.
Dan-China, a miner and former Bauchi State governorship aspirant on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), 16 Chinese nationals and nine Nigerians were arraigned before Federal High Court sitting in Jos over alleged illegal mining of lead and zinc. But the group said as a result of closure of the mining site which happened to be their only source of livelihood the youths in the town were now facing difficult times.
“We are now living in tatters; the mining site is our only source of livelihood and has been closed for the past eight months, now we don’t have anywhere to turn to, because we can’t farm as a result of environmental degradation.
“Crimes including armed robbery and banditry have increased, unlike when the site wasn’t closed; we do take care of our immediate needs and even help others. We are calling on Federal government to open the site to enable us smile and back to our feet.” He said.
