*Photo: Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State *
The Nasarawa State Government has commended a mining company, Hasetins Commodities Limited (HCL) for initiating projects that benefit the communities where it operates.
The Governor, Abdullahi Sule gave the commendation during the flag off of road construction and drilling of boreholes in Uke, a community in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
The statement was made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
Governor Sule reiterated the commitment of the state government to partner with investors from within and outside the country to ensure the development of the state.
Represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Kwanta Yakubu, the Governor urged other companies, operating in the state, to emulate Hasetins’ practice of executing projects in its host communities.
He noted that the projects, being executed in Uke community, conform with the state government’s seven-point agenda and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to touch the lives of rural dwellers.
“I want to commend them (Hasetins), because this is the kind of investment and industrialisation that we are looking for.
“They (Hasetins) are not only building facilities, they are engaging about 80 per cent of our indigenes.
“We will be visiting and inspecting the projects to support them,” Governor Sule said.
Hasetins’ Director, Corporate Affairs, Peter Butt said the projects are part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Butt said Hasetins decided to bring a different approach to its engagement with host communities of solid minerals to ensure mutual benefits.
He added: “We will train people, employ and engage them. We will build roads to enable farmers, traders to have access to markets.”
Butt noted that Nigeria has the second lowest life expectancy at 52 years, which is estimated at 56 deaths per 1,000 births.
He said: “This is due to poor drinking water and we will drill boreholes to get clean drinking water to the communities.”
The Sarkin Uke, His Highness, Ahmed Abdullahi, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the community towards the achievement of the objectives of the company.
The traditional ruler noted that the community is populated by diverse ethnic and religious groups from across the country , who have continued to live together in harmony.
He assured that residents of the community will work together for the protection of the investments of companies operating in the community and facilities provided for the community by such companies.
