Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and its partners have petitioned the Nasarawa State Government to wade into the devastation of artisanal mining and the recalcitrance of the promoters to address the situation.
RDI, Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) and Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation, in the petition, are praying 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. 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 on the State of Mining Communities in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Lagos, the Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, described mining impact in Nasarawa communities as a ticking time bomb that will eventually go off anytime if urgent steps are not taken to address it.
He told journalists: “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.”
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.
“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,” he insisted.
