Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has ordered miners across the state to seek alternative means of livelihood or face the wrath of the law.
The governor gave the directive on Friday in Jalingo, the state capital.
Signing the executive order prohibiting mining activities in the state, he said his administration would not fold its hands and watch the state’s natural resources destroyed.
Gov Kefas, who asserted that illegal mining promotes crimes in society, said putting a hold on such activities will go a long way in addressing some of the security challenges presently bedevilling the state.
The order, he noted, has become necessary “to preserve the state’s natural resources,” while he stressed that law enforcement agencies will be fully empowered to bring to book persons caught flouting the directive.
The governor further called on both the federal government and development partners to assist the state in mapping out plans that will help implement reforestation programmes.
Elated by the directive, some community leaders who spoke with Newspot avowed that if well implemented, the new order would reduce natural disasters often caused in communities by miners.
They pleaded with the governor to do everything humanly possible to make the directive effective across the state.
