By Martha Agas
A women miners group, Success Mining Multipurpose Cooperative Society, has called on the Federal Government to direct foreign investors to establish mineral processing plants in the areas where they extract resources.
The Nasarawa-based group said that the move would promote rural development, create jobs and reduce the export of raw minerals without value addition
The leader of the group, Mrs Patience Isaac, made the call in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to her, mining companies should contribute to the development of host communities by constructing roads and providing electricity and water infrastructure.
“We want the government to mandate foreign investors to build their factories in the mining area for final products instead of always exporting the raw materials to their country.
“They should build roads, supply electricity and provide water for the communities where mining activities are carried out,” she said.
She said that many mining sites were being sold to foreign investors, making it difficult for local miners, particularly women, to access the sites and the minerals for processing and sale.
“We want the government to help us stop allocating mining sites to foreign investors, or at least provide alternative opportunities for those of us who are directly involved in the sector,” she said.
Isaac urged the government to support women miners with equipment that would enable them to expand their operations and participate more effectively in the sector.
She said that women miners faced difficulties in accessing microcredit facilities, and urged the government to provide medical centres in mining communities to address their healthcare needs.
NAN recalls that the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr Dele Alake, in 2024 announced that licence would no longer be granted to mining companies without comprehensive plan for value addition.
