Business and Economy
Illegal mining : Submit your mining documents for verification— Nasarawa Govt tells miners, Clears air on claims against govt.
By David Odama
Nasarawa State government said on Wednesday that the law regulating mining activities in the state remained unequivocally enforced directing intending miners coming to the state to submit their mining documents for proper verification and documentations.
State Commissioner for Environment and natural resources, Kwanta Yakubu stated this during a press briefing while reacting to an allegations against the state government by a mini g entity.
The Commissioner said the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 signed into by the state governor, Abdullahi Sule on the 19 of April 2024 remained unequivocally enforced in Nasarawa,
According to the Commissioner, the attention of the Nasarawa State Government is drawn to a press conference on Friday last week in Jos by one Mr.
“I welcome you to this press conference to clear the air on a claim by a mining entity against the Nasarawa State Government. You would recall that on the 19th of April, 2024, which is exactly two months today, the Nasarawa State Government took a bold step to secure the Amba Community from the activities of illegal miners that constitute a threat to the peace and security of the community and its environs, in an operation by a joint team of security agencies in the State to close and secure the mining site located in Amba community of Kokona Local Government, which I also addressed the press at the location.
Kwanta said the action of the government to close the illegal mining site in Amba Community followed a petition from the community chief on illegal mining activities in his domain without a proper consent.
“There exist in Nasarawa State, the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 signed into Law by His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, which particularly, provides that all community Consent and Development Agreement made pursuant to Section 116 of the Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 and prior to signing by authenticated Community Heads shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to be vetted and certified by the Attorney General of Nasarawa State.
He said the procedures and measures taking by the state government was to avoid multiple issuances of community Consents and Development Agreements to mining entities and ensure that community development commitments made therein is not in conflict with the overall development master plan of the State.
“The Executive Order also provides that all mining entities arriving the State with authority of the Federal Government to carry out mining in the State must undergo checks by the Ministry responsible for environment and mining and other security agencies in the State to verify their legal status, citizenship and background before settlement.
“We have carried out series of robust engagements and mass sensitization to bring to the knowledge of stakeholders in the mining sector operating in the State of the regulatory provisions of the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 to promote security and environmental safeguards in mining communities.
“Nasarawa state government under the leadership of governor Abdullahi Sule is committed to the full enforcement of the Executive Order to ensure that our State is safe and communities are protected from exploitation by mining entities.
” The so-called mining entity claiming to be licensed to carry out mining activities in Amba community is not known to the Nasarawa State Government according to the provisions of the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 and the mining site remains closed and secured until responsible investors who are trusted by the community and the State, through a proper consenting, are licensed to mine in the area”, the Commissioner stated.
” Nasarawa State Government will continue to watch closely any further development in that mining site, as well as any other place with similar occurrence that is against the interest of peace in the State and deal decisively with any violator”, Kwanta declared.
“Let me reiterate here that the Nasarawa State Government recognizes the need for all communities endowed with mineral resources in the State to be protected from infiltration by those unidentifiable entities, individuals, undocumented aliens mostly with the propensity and capacity for mischief and criminality; and in certain cases, inducing tension, disputes, restiveness and disagreements between communities and individuals leading to breakdown of law and order.
” Let me use this opportunity to thank the various security agencies in the State for their immense cooperation with the State Government in the enforcement of the Executive Order for the peace of Nasarawa State.”, The Commissioner added.