Wednesday, 26th February 2025
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Groups hail Assembly for promoting friendly mining policies

By Innocent Anoruo (Lagos) and Ernest Nzor (Abuja)
28 November 2024   |   3:09 am
Environmental advocacy groups have hailed the Nasarawa House of Assembly for summoning a Chinese firm, Multiverse Synee Mining Company Limited, to appear before it, yesterday, for questioning over mining impact in Abuni community, Awe Local Council of the state.

• Taskforce inaugurated to check environmental degradation

Environmental advocacy groups have hailed the Nasarawa House of Assembly for summoning a Chinese firm, Multiverse Synee Mining Company Limited, to appear before it, yesterday, for questioning over mining impact in Abuni community, Awe Local Council of the state.

Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) had petitioned the Assembly through the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Adamu Omadefu, on October 3, 2024, following a Save Our Souls (SOS) from locals.

The community had complained about pollution of the Rafin Jaki River and a host of other infractions, including indiscriminate rock blasting and insensitivity to their plight, after several complaints.

RDI, EDEN and CFSF had also met with Omadefu, earlier this week, requesting the House to undertake a fact-finding visit to the community and Uke District, which is facing similar environmental challenges.

Responding, Omadefu led other members of the committee to visit Multiverse mining sites in Abuni and Akurba on Tuesday, November 26. They inspected the environment and informed the firm that the committee was there to ascertain if the company fulfilled all the constitutional requirements to work in the state.

According to the committee chairman, the lawmakers wanted to know what was happening in Nasarawa communities to averts happenings in oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta.

He also heard from Abuni community youths, their leader, Umar Shuaibu, who expressed disappointment with the company for allegedly failing to fulfil the agreement reached with the settlement on provision of roads, electricity, scholarships and a hospital, among others.

RDI’s Executive Director, Philip Jakpor said: “We commend the Nasarawa Assembly, particularly the House Committee, Omadefu, for the proactiveness in inviting the firm accused by locals of violating their environment. We are determined to continue working with the Nasarawa government in ensuring that in the extraction of lithium and other minerals in the state, the people and the environment are not impacted negatively.”

On his part, the Executive Director of EDEN, Chima Williams, noted: “This feat is not only commendable. We encourage Omadefu and indeed the entire Nasarawa Assembly to remain steadfast because we know there are big shots backing the illegality that the House is now confronting. We promise our sustained support for this course.”

CFSF’s Executive Director, Sani Baba, submitted: “We commend them and urge them to refuse any form of intimidation in forcing the mining firms to behave responsibly. Anything short of this is a time bomb.”

IN the meantime, the Petroleum, Environment and Solid Minerals Degradation Awareness Association (PESMDAA) has decried the worsening environmental degradation in solid mineral-producing regions across the federation.

It also inaugurated a task force to enhance efforts in combating environmental degradation. Chairman of PESMDAA, Dr Robert Adah, who made the disclosure in Abuja, during the inauguration of state and local government awareness officers, restated the association’s commitment to raising knowledge about the environmental impacts of petroleum and solid mineral extraction.

Themed, “Sensitisation to Eliminate Degradation and Irregularities in the Petroleum and Solid Minerals Sectors,” the event highlighted the urgent need to address the ecological damage caused by the industries. The PESMDAA chairman called on stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices and enforce stricter regulations to mitigate environmental crisis.

0 Comments