Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the Niger State Governor has condemned the destruction of national monuments by Chinese companies’ mining activities in the state and throughout the country. Mr Bello made the statement at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Zuma Smart City and Resort in Chachi, behind Zuma Rock, Tafa Local Government Area, Niger state.
Foreigners continue to mutilate national heritage sites with impunity, he said.
According to him –
“I doubt if any foreign company can go to China and destroy any monument there.”
Bello appealed to the Federal Government to look into the issue of protecting such areas. Such sites like the Zuma Rock and Aso Rock among others in the country need to be adequately conserved.
“I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to look into the activities of the multinational companies in order to stop them from mutilating our environmental national endowment with impunity”, he stated.
The Governor said the State Executive Council made a conscious effort to protect Zuma Rock and its surroundings. They did this by building “Zuma Rock Investment and Cultural City”, to attract investors and preserve it.
“If the mining activity by the Chinese company had continued unchecked, the integrity of the rock would have been threatened, so I believe Zuma Rock is safe and with a resort here, eventually this place will become a smart city, it will become a recreational place and the people will enjoy the beauty of the rock, now with the interest Aso Savings and Loans has indicated on the project,” he said.
In a speech, Hajiya Risikatu Ahmed, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of ASO Savings and Loans, announced the company’s plans to develop the project to be a smart and sustainable city with more than 2,500 mixed-type units on 150 hectares of land.
cc: Daily Post Ng
