ABUJA – (Mines & Steel Development Ministry Report) – The Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has organized a sensitization meeting between miners and host communities in the Bwari Area Council to discuss issues relating to mining activities in the Area Council.
The FCT Mines Environmental Compliant Officer, who is a member of the Committee from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Osseini Enoch Ukwenya (Engr) said at the meeting that the gathering sought to ensure harmonious relationships between the operators and the host communities. He admitted that there is bound to be disagreement between the operators and the host communities, which he believed is subject to negotiation, just as mining effects impact on every community, including the challenges of displacement.
According to him, displacement should bring about compensation to the owner of the land as the land may not be useful to the owner for a long time, even after mining activities. He also revealed that the re-occurring issue between the operators and the host communities has been that of pollution, as well as the inability of the operators to keep the agreement entered into with the communities.
“The Committee has to advise on matters of pollution, how it affects the community and what the operators are doing to minimize the pollution. It is the duty of the operators to ensure that the pollution in their areas of operation are brought to minimal level,” he indicated.
Osseini Ukwenya called on mining operators to be responsible to the community where they are operating as the Committee is putting all hands on deck to ensure that no operator functions in any community without a Community Development Agreement (CDA) which is very critical to the Ministry. He later explained that the Committee is poised to ensure adherence to the agreement signed by the operators.
He posited that there are issues needing to be addressed in the Minerals and Mining Act, which are part of what the Committee wants to resolve, based on the complaints received from host communities and the operators. He was optimistic that he will marry them together for proper legislation, describing the procedure as an annexure to the existing Mineral Act, towards streamlining the process and enhancing suitable activities in mining for the benefit of the communities.
Ukwenya appealed to any aggrieved parties to channel their grievances through the appropriate authorities, especially through the Committee, in order to ensure that no one takes the law into his hands as the Committee is set to address issues of grievances. He outlined the functions of the Committee to include: advising the Minister of Mines and Steel Development on matters affecting pollution and environmental degradation at the mining sites as well as advising the Minister on issues affecting returns of necessary reports involving the grants for mining titles.
Other functions, he mentioned comprise: considering issues affecting compensation and making necessary recommendations to the Minister as well as advising the Minister on matters connected to the implementation of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
The Federal Mines Officer in-charge of FCT, who is the Secretary of the Committee, Ayelabola Olubunmi in his comments inferred that part of the reasons for the meeting was to re-awaken the operators on their social responsibilities to the host communities based on community development. He also stressed the need to strengthen the grey areas in the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007, which he said will help in making more inputs into the sector through legislation.
Ayelabola Olubunmi appealed for continuing cooperation from the Etsu of Bwari and other District Heads present at the meeting, towards ensuring peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationships between the host communities and the operators. He observed that this condition will encourage the operators to do more community projects and engage them on their social responsibilities.
In his remarks, the Etsu of Bwari, Ibrahim Yaro commended the Ministry for constituting the Committee which he believed would bring about peace and sustainability between the operators and the host communities. He pointed out the need for the Committee to always inform him, as the paramount ruler when issuing licenses to operators within his domain.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Bwari Local Government Area Council represented by the Head of Administration of the Council, Mohammad Musa Loko advised that the Committee should ensure that the Area Council is given a level of control when it comes to the issue of mining operators within the Local Government.
He appealed that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 be amended to assign critical roles to the Local Government, since issues relating to the host communities are under its purview.
