Mining Stakeholders counsel on environmental protection

Stakeholders in mining have stressed the need for miners to embrace decent mining activities, ensure adherence to government standards as well as see to the protection of environment and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Participants made the submission at a one-day policy dialogue which was convened by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) with the support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

The dialogue held on 8th February 2018, in Ado-Ekiti, was an off shoot of the Strengthening Civic Engagement and Advocacy for Effective Natural Resource Governance in Nigeria project, titled: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Community Development Agreement (CDA) and the Challenges of Compliance.

The programme Director of the Center, Mr Monday Osasah had earlier informed the participants that the N5 billion intervention fund earmarked by the federal government for artisans and small scale miners was a conscious effort to grow and develop the mining sector to make it contribute to government revenue adding that qualified miners would be allowed to access between N100,000 and N10 million while small scale miners could get between N10 million and N100 million.

Osasah who explained further that the volatile decline in global oil price necessitated diversification into other sector especially on mining urged all those concerned to key into the policy and process to access the funds adding that the forum was to examine the drive for non-oil revenues and how it would play out with existing solid minerals development law and possible sub national government interests in the mining sector.

Speaking with newsmen, the campaign and research officer, centre for the Seminar, Omaojo Ogedoh said the policy dialogue brought together stakeholders in the mining sector including, government and community representatives, traditional rulers and miners to discuss environmental impacts assessment, development agreements, challenges of compliance in Ekiti state.

According to him, a research showed that most mining companies disregard environmental impact assessment before implementing the project, stressing the need why mining companies should follow the agreement made with the communities after the exploitation of resources.

Some stakeholders at the forum who included the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Adewole Adebayo, Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly said Ijero Ekiti and its suburbs as well as Erijiyan, Ikogosi and Ipole Iloro have large deposits of mines and other natural resources calling on the federal government to make funds accessible for the miners and youths who have embrace the business.

In his opening remark, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Mr Michael Ayodele called on all Miners in the state to join hands with the state government to access the necessary funds meant for the state from the federal government.

Some of the miners in separate interviews with newsmen lauded the organizer of the programme, saying it would a long way to curb illegal mining activities and brings development to the sector.

The Owa Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, who disclosed that Ijero has the second largest mineral deposit in Nigeria after Jos in Plateau state as activities in the area began in the late 30’s and had since provided jobs for the unemployed youths, described his kingdom as “the mining centre of Ekiti and urged, “federal and state governments show more interest in the sector”

Oba Adewole who expressed dismay that gem stones and feldspar mined in the
community are being taken elsewhere and turned to finished products said: “If government shows more interest in mining in
Ijero kingdom, it can give rise to glass industry and this will create more employment opportunities.”

In its communique at the end of the programme, participants which commended the Federal Government for its commitment to diversify the economy and reform the extractive sector in Nigeria, however urged the government to through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development improve on it sensitization and monitor mining and sales of minerals to avoid leakages and carry out sensitization on EIA and CDAs development.

The participants called for effective implementation of mining regulations including EIA and CDAs is critical for a robust resource governance regime and eventual development of the extractive sector in Nigeria.

They also stressed need for inter-agency cooperation amongst MDAs at the different levels of government is imperative for a virile and sustainable EIA and CDAs processes and procedures, with a call on the Youths to should join cooperatives and engaged in legal mining so as to reduce restiveness in the community and guarantee security in the communities.

The participants said “We must educate our community leaders to realize that beyond the benefits derivable from any project in their domain is the need for a healthy environment for all in that community now and in the future.

“Remind all government agencies responsible for enforcing the relevant guidelines as stakeholders to continue to do their best in creating awareness of the mining acts to the mining companies/illegal miners and prosecute erring defaulters.

“Artisanal and Small-Scale miners should comply with the rules of the game. Let us observe the environmental obligations under the Minerals and Mining Act 2007and adhere to it strictly.

“Traditional rulers, States and Local Government Officials must insist on CDA with any project proponents wanting to carryout exploration and exploitation in our communities. There must be proactive measures between the relevant government agencies and the citizens to ensure policies work and also act as checks and balance to one another.

“There must be collaboration between stakeholders in the mining sector including government, traditional rulers, communities and the miners/companies in order to harvest the benefits therein from the sector. Mining Host Community(ies) members should insist on EIA report and should be involved in the development of CDA documents before signing.

“Government (and its agencies) must see the miners as partners in progress. There must be synergy between the two for progressive development. Ekiti State Government should consider the rejuvenation of the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) in line with Nigeria Mineral and Mining Act 2007 to ensure sustainable environmental management.”

The participants who said Miners in the state must organize themselves into cooperatives in order to access the FG/BOI intervention fund. Need for stakeholders to work together in order to achieve the desired results, also called on all miners must register with the traditional rulers of the communities they operate and forwarded to the Ajero of Ijero

They submitted that strategy meeting will be called within two weeks for all miners to meet with the Hon. Commissioner for Commerce and Industries and other stakeholders in the state.