Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

RDI, others petition Nasarawa govt over mining communities' devastation

POSTED ON October 3, 2024 •   BREAKING NEWS      BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara
Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor l Credit:@RDICorporation

Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and its partners have appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to intervene in the destruction caused by artisanal mining and the unwillingness of the promoters to address the issue.

RDI, Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) and Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation, in the petition, prayed the House of Assembly to side with the impacted people of Abuni in their quest for environmental justice.

They asked the Assembly to, among others, visit Abuni community to investigate mining operations.

They also asked that Uke district should also be visited, carry out a comprehensive environmental audit of Abuni on their source of water and farm environment, and revoke the mining licence of Multiverse Mining Company if the investigation shows breach of Nigeria’s environmental laws.

At a media interactive session on the state of mining communities in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, in Lagos, the Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, described mining impact in Nasarawa communities as a ticking time bomb that would eventually go off anytime if urgent steps were not taken to address it.

He said: “The state of the environment, the exploitation of young girls as young as 13 years for sexual satisfaction of licensed and illegal miners, as well as the insecurity occasioned by the influx of foreigners in that community should be investigated.”

Last April, RDI had raised the alarm on the state of the environment in Uke district, Karu Local Council of Nasarawa, following the commencement of extraction of gold and lithium there.

“Unfortunately, we are yet to hear of any positive change since our report was published. Instead, disturbingly, we have been able to document that the situation is even worse in Awe Local Council where locals allege that a Chinese firm, Multiverse Mining Company, is also impacting Abuni negatively,” he added.

Executive Director of CFSF, Sani Baba, described findings from mining communities of Nasarawa as disheartening, to say the least.

He added, “They confirm our long-held belief that in the quest for extraction of solid minerals, government at state and federal levels continue to look the other way while extractive firms ruin lands, create insecurity and rob us of our natural resources.”

According to him, CFSF is determined to work with RDI and other partners to see that justice is done in Nasarawa.

In his intervention, the Executive Director of EDEN, Chima Williams, said the mistakes of oil were already happening in the solid minerals sector.

Williams said, “It is for this reason that we advocated that Nigeria’s Mining Act should create crimes and punishments section that can be enforced either by the host communities or the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals.

"Clearly, what is happening in Awe and Uke fits perfectly into sanctionable acts because the environment, livelihoods and lives of the people are being systematically destroyed right under the nose of the state government.

“Mining inspectors that are a component of this initiative shall, without notice, visit any mining site to know whether or not the operators are operating within accepted standards, including use of personal protective gears."

READ ALSO
Sowore Condemns Tenure Extensions of Senior Security Officials for Violating 35-Year Service Limit
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 6, 2025 0

Human rights advocate and ex-presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the ongoing tenur...

READ ALSO
South-West Demands Five New States and Constitutional Recognition for Traditional Rulers in Ongoing Constitutional Review
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

The demand for the establishment of five new states, the recognition of traditional rulers in the co...

READ ALSO
Federal High Court Orders Reinstatement of  Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Calls Suspension "Excessive"
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Friday that the Nigerian Senate exceeded its authority by sus...

READ ALSO
Calls for Autopsy: Ondo Govt. Faces Pressure to Exhume Late Governor Akeredolu's Body
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

The Ondo State Government may need to exhume the body of the late governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, f...

READ ALSO
Tinubu to Discuss Sustainable Governance at BRICS Summit in Rio
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 29, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu arrived in Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, on Saturday for the first leg of his two-p...

READ ALSO
Reps Launches Committee to Review CNG Policy Implementation
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The House of Representatives has formed an ad-hoc committee tasked with examining the Federal Govern...

READ ALSO
Nigeria Takes Bold Step towards Energy Independence with Naira-Based Crude Sales Initiative
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 25, 2025 0

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, alongside the Federal Government’s One-Stop-Sho...

READ ALSO
IPMAN Links Rising Petrol Prices to Crude Oil Costs and Market Dynamics
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria (NAN) - The Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Associati...

OUR CHANNELS:

NYSC Urges Employers to Implement Attendance Registers for Corps Members
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Thursday, urged employers of corps members to establish...


PDP Shifts National Convention to November, Picks Ibadan Amid Internal Power Struggle
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Abuja, Nigeria  – The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the postpo...


APC Appoints Yilwatda Nentawe as Chairman, Declares 2027 a ‘Done Deal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Abuja, Nigeria – The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC)...


Osun APC, PDP Clash Over Governor Adeleke's Failed Defection Attempt
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The Osun State branches of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Par...


Court Reinstates Benue CJ, Criticizes Alia
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The National Industrial Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ruled that the Benue State House of Assembly's...


LASG Announces Five Major Road Projects in Alimosho to Be Completed by 2025
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The Lagos State Government has revealed that five significant road projects in the Alimosho Local Go...


Electricity Tariffs: Power Firms Push Back Against State Negotiations
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

On Wednesday, energy commissioners from all 36 states announced their willingness to engage with pow...


Two Businessmen Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Cybercrime
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

A Federal High Court located in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced two businesspersons, Emmanuel Nwanze and...


Nigeria Police Force Dismantles Notorious Arms Supply Network Linked to Bandits
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

The Nigeria Police Force has successfully intercepted a notorious arms supply network linked to armi...


Maduka Okoye Suspended for Two Months Amid Betting Scandal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Udinese and Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has received a two-month suspension from the Italian Fo...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu