By Praise Chinecherem
GLOBAL Rights Nigeria has identified ignorance of oil mining host communities on the provisions of the Mining Act and the Community Development Agreement as major factor responsible for increasing exploitation by miners.
Executive Director, Abiodun Baiyewu stated this on Monday while declaring open a 2-day training for journalists on Mineral Governance and Host Community Rights in Nigeria.
The training, supported by Ford Foundation attracted over 40 journalists drawn from print and electronics media organizations across the country.
Baiyewu argued that the host communities would be better equipped to demand for their rights when they were adequately enlightened.
She described media, family and the school as critical partners in entrenching cultural value, saying the training was targeted at arming the media to drive the conversation around responsible and sustainable mining.
She said, “it is the vision of the organization to entrench a culture of human rights, in a sustainable manner across communties in the country.
“What we are doing is to put the lives of these vulnerable communities in your hands to save.
“Today, the Chinese are exploring and ferrying away our minerals, while damaging the land, disrespecting and assaulting people of the host communities.
“I therefore want to urge the participants to take the programme seriously, so as to drive the desired change we want to see.”
Programs Manager of Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe, in his presentation on understanding mining, highlighted the numerous benefits of mining to include job creation, economic diversification, skills training improved infrastructure, among others.
Also speaking at a Panel Dialogue on, “Reflections on Mining Host Communities in Nigeria: Community Rights and the Rights to Development”, Habibu Abubakar Wushishi of Federation Nigerian Mining Host Community, FNMHC, Niger State decried activities of illegal miners eroding cultural values and escalating incidences of prostitution, drug intake, communal conflicts and other social vices in host communities.
He regretted government’s ineptitude towards addressing the problem, accusing it of blame game disposition.
Dr Temitope Olaifa, FNMHC, Ogun State regretted that major beneficiaries of mining activities were outsiders as against the host communities.
“Findings have shown that most communities are not aware of the provisions of the Mining Act and Community Development Agreements, which determines the percentage with which benefits from mining activities will be shared.
“The miners who are aware of the Act and the CDA, do not want to implement it. The people who should demand for their rights do not have knowledge of their rights.
“The CDA should ensure that both the communities and the miners should come to agreement as to what should come to the communities. Government is not doing anything to enlighten the communities, either as a result of ignorance or complicity in the illegal activities.
“Communities should be empowered to know their rights, through education and sensitization,” she said.
A representative of the FNMHC Ebonyi State, Dr Francis Orji observed that part of the reason why the problem of illegal mining and its ravages still persist is because the illegal activities are underreported.
He commended the initiative of the training, adding that it will help te media practititioners understand the challenges of the host communities and be able to adequately publicize such issues.
