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To sustain
peaceful mining activities across solid mineral bearing
communities all over the country, the Federal Government has
advised mining companies to live up to their social
responsibilities.
The Minister of Mines and
Steel Development, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada gave the advice
during an oversight visit to a mining company, Royal Salt
Nigeria Limited, at Enyiba in Abakaliki Local Government
Area of Ebonyi State.
Arc. Sada said that the
solid mineral endowments in the country are to be explored
and exploited for the benefits of the host communities, the
companies, Local, State and Federal governments.
The Minister explained that
before the commencement of mining activities in any
community, there should be a community Development Agreement
between the host community and the mining company to avoid
unnecessary conflicts.
He advised that the youths
should organize themselves into cooperatives for the
accessment of the World Bank Grant to facilitate their
operations in the Artisanal and Small Scale Mining
Sub-sector.
The Minister advised that
Local Governments, State Governments and Miners Association
should assist the youths to form the cooperative societies
to formalize their operations to reduce illegal mining
across the country.
Arc. Sada enumerated some of
the benefits derivable from community Development Agreements
to include employments, provision of social amenities such
as schools, hospitals, water, electricity and roads.
The Minister advised that
youths and communities should not take laws into their hands
when there are disagreements with mining companies, but that
they should contact the Ministry of Mines and Steel
Development and other relevant government establishments to
sort out issues.
In his remarks, the Managing
Director of Royal Salt Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sunil Pillai
thanked the Minister for the visit and assured that the
company would abide by its Community Development Agreement
with its host communities.
Royal Salt Nigeria Limited
is mining Lead/Zinc in Ebonyi State. It is engaged in mining
in seven states across the country.
In another related
development, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development has
directed the management of Nigeria Coal Corporation to
furnish him with a comprehensive review of the privatization
exercise of the establishment.
Arc. Sada gave the directive
during a facility inspection visit to the Nigeria Coal
Corporation, Enugu in Eungu State.
The Minister observed that
an institutional memory of Coal was necessary for the
development of that solid mineral endowment for Nigeria and
investors.
He said that the way forward
for the development of Coal depends on information and
expertise, adding that, an expert unit on Coal has to be put
in place in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
The Minister said that the
visit enabled him to know many things about the Nigeria Coal
Corporation which he had not been briefed about prior to the
visit.
On the issue of sale of
Federal Government houses to disengaged staff of the agency,
the Minister directed that the issue be included in the
review to be forwarded to him for a holistic action on the
way forward for the Nigeria Coal Corporation, Enugu, and
Enugu State.
The detailed information the
Minister directed the management of the Nigeria Coal
Corporation, Enugu to forward to him include: documentation
on Coal deposits, the Coal Laboratory, the Coal washing
plant, smokeless Coal Briquette plant, the Coal Corporation
Hospital, Coal Corporation Guest House and Sale of
Government Houses.
In his welcome remarks, the
Acting General Manager of Nigeria Coal Corporation, Enugu,
Mr. Obiora Onwuasigwe said that the establishment had been
slated for privatization by the Bureau for Public
Enterprises since 2005.
Mr. Onwuasigwe said that
since 2005, the establishment has been rendering skeletal
services through little subventions from the headquarters of
the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development without
budgetary provisions.
He disclosed that presently,
the establishment does not have any bankable data on Coal
deposits across the country. Consequently, he sought the
assistance of the Minister to keep the establishment
functional. |
