Wherever any company operates, there is always a community development agreement between the host community and the company. But over the years, mining host communities have not ceased to decry their neglect by mining companies; BENJAMIN UMUTEME reports.
The British colonial government created the Mineral Survey of the Northern Protectorates in 1903 with the Southern Protectorates following soon after.
Nigeria started major production of coal, tin and columbite by the 1940s. In 1956 when oil was discovered, the mineral industries suffered when the focus shifted to mining oil. In the 1960s the Civil War led to expat mining experts leaving the country and mines being abandoned.
Mining regulations drastically changed and productivity declined. In the late 1990s the government started selling government-owned mining companies to private investors.
Despite massive mineral wealth, the Nigerian mining industry is vastly underdeveloped and only accounts for 0.3 per cent of the country’s GDP – and this is due to oil resources. The underdevelopment is resulting in Nigeria having to import processed minerals, even though it could be locally produced.
Much of the debate in Africa with regard to mining has been on the question on whether or not mining is good for development. While some analyst agree that mining is indeed good for development, others have argued that the structural constraints found in many developing nations render mining almost untenable. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been suggested as one of the ways through which the difficulties associated with mining can be ameliorated.
Ecological issues
In Nigeria, environmental issues continue to weigh heavily in the activities of mining companies as the companies and environmental rights activists have not ceased to dry about the negative impact of mining companies on host communities.
For instance, Plateau State environmental officials have severally expressed concern with the high number of mines that were abandoned after the mining boom of the 1960s.
According to their research these mines are posing a serious risk to millions of people residing in the area. There have been reports of radioactive shale from the mines from the districts of Riyom, Bassa, Bukur, Jos and Barikin-Ladi.
That is just one state out of many states in the country where host communities have had to live with the dangers posed by abandoned mines.
Lamentations
A trip to mining host communities would reveal one thing-mining communities’ bearing the brunt of neglect by companies.
In this regard, the Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Communities (FNMHC), have not failed to at every opportunity cry out about their plight to the listening world.
In a communiqué, FNMHC lamented alleged neglect by government and mining companies operating in their areas.
It indicated that, “The Nigerian constitution mandates in Section 17 (2)(d) that the “exploitation of human or natural resources in any form whatsoever for the reasons, other than the good of the community shall be prevented.
“While mining holds the potential of prospering their host communities when done in a sustainable manner, Nigeria’s extractive industry is froth with numerous problems including fiscal injustice, environmental degradation, proliferation of abandoned open mining pits, consequences of climate change, security challenges, the vulnerabilities of women, children and disabled persons to rights violation, water and air pollution, negative impacts on traditional livelihoods, destruction of eco-systems and water stress, and others.”
It added, “Concerned that the disconnect between the mining companies and their host communities, on one hand, the government, on the other hand, has led to miscommunication of intentions, corruption, poverty, and lack of effective monitoring of mining activities, thereby putting the environment and health of the people in jeopardy, and negatively impacting livelihoods.
“Shrinking freshwater resources is fast assuming a crisis dimension in most mining host communities across Nigeria and that water is at the nerve of the existence of mining host communities, and yet, mining is a water-dependent resource.
“It acknowledges that artisanal mining consists of more than 80 per cent of all forms of mining in Nigeria, and are as environmentally destructive as large mining companies.
“It’s aware that a vast majority of mining host communities like their hydrocarbon counterparts are marked by poverty and underdevelopment, while the potentials for development continues to go unrealised.
“It acknowledges the testimonials of mining host communities’ representatives from Ebonyi, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Plateau, Taraba, and the Zamfara states as being accurate accounts the mining contexts of mining host communities across Nigeria.
They further pointed out that, “These problems are exacerbated by gaps in the laws governing mining in Nigeria, failure of investors to comply with laws and regulations, lack of inter-ministerial coordination, lack if technical-know-how by artisanal miners, and failure to respect the rights of mining communities to free, prior and informed consent as prescribed by the ECOWAS mining directive by which Nigeria is bound.”
Global Rights Nigeria, a non-profit organisation, last week, lamented that despite having Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in place, mining companies continue to make the environment safe for host communities.
Globa Rights’ executive director, Abiodun Baiyewu, speaking at the 2022 West African Mining Host Communities INDABA, held in Abuja, noted that the activities of artisanal and illegal miners have over the years created serious health and environmental hazards to the lives and livelihood of host communities in West Africa.
She added that laws protecting host communities exist, but most members of these host communities are half-educated or uneducated.
“As such it is our collective responsibility to educate members of these mining host communities about the relevant provisions of these laws. The insensitivity of mining companies and its consequential effects on host communities,” she said.
From Ebonyi to Kogi, from Zamfara to Gombe and Nasarawa, the story of neglect is rife. For an indigene of one of the host communities in Ebonyi state, Princess Ogbuinya Sylvia, the effects of unsafe mining is ravaging her community as terminal diseases including cancer have impacted the health of indigenes of her community.
She said, “When this mining company was not in our community we had no problem but the story has changed as their operations have devastated our farmlands, polluted our water source, houses have cracked walls while some collapse. One of my aunts died of cancer. Many community members and we have no water to drink because it has dried up on the heels of their operations.
“The pollution has affected procreation in our community. Our men and women are not fertile anymore. We have lead substances in our blood, even me, I am not healthy, I have disease in my body, and our people are sick with no help in sight.
“We have approached the company several times but no response. It is owned by Indians. Meanwhile we have reported their activities to the government, but no action has been taken.
“We have also written to the National Assembly to summon the company but failed to appear before the National Assembly upon which the company was asked to pay N1.5 billion to our community for damages, but never paid us the money.”
Even Okobo, a community in Kogi state, is not spared of this horror also. Over a decade coal has been mined in the community, indigenes have not known real peace.
This is despite the community signing a Community Development Agreement (CDA) with the mining firm.
An indigene, Maryam Alidu, who said she has been suffering from chest pains due to the mining activities in the community, volunteered that they now have other sources of water as the company uses the tap water. As a result of the health challenge, according to her, it has been very difficult for her to get water, as she has to rely on people’s goodwill.
“We rely on water flowing on the red earth when miners use their tap water and collect it from a grassy marsh at the roadside from where we fill up our buckets to use for domestic purposes,”
For those staying in Okobo, they have had to stop drinking the water and only use it to do their laundry and bath.
“In the river, we find coal particles flowing into the water. The company gives us water in a tanker truck once a week, which is not enough,” said Fatima Ogwu, a farmer in the community.
