Zamfara government says it has started its gold reserve to reduce dependence on federal allocations.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Rabiu Garba, told journalists in Gusau on Tuesday that, although, there was a federal government ban on mining activities in the country, “the state government was able to purchase the commodity from licensed miners.

“At the moment, we have a pure gold reserve of over 30 kilos and as time goes by, we will continue to invest in this regard so that, like other states and other nations, we will be having our mineral reserves and ours will be in gold.

“When the ban is lifted and mining activities resume fully, we are hopeful that we will be receiving royalties from miners while the federal government will also be giving us something.”

He explained that the gold reserve would continue to be strengthened and maintained by the state government and would only be used at the right time.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zamfara is one of the states of the federation blessed with abundant solid minerals which are largely being exploited by illegal miners from within and outside the country. (NAN)