Report Issues With Impact On Mining Sector – Global Rights To Journalists

Stakeholders at a two day Global Rights training in Abuja have called on journalists to report issues with positive impact on the Nigeria mining sector.

One of the stakeholders, Mr. Edosa Oviawe, while addressing the trainees on the historical journey of mining in Nigeria, looking at the growth, decline and its revival, before the discovery of crude oil at Oloibiri stressed that mining was the backbone of the nation’s source of income hence, the need for necessary collaboration to revive the sector for more economic development.

Oviawe who is the Programme Manager for Global Rights explained that illegal mining activities have been the bane in Nigeria, which according to him are causing devastating effects to host communities as the miners mostly neglect their corporate social responsibilities.

On her part, Tsema Ede expressed concern over the neglect of the rights of host communities where mining activities are taking place stressing the need for journalists as critical partners to arouse the consciousness of host communities to demand for their rights as the communities lose their source of livelihood as a result of mining activities as well as exposure to harmful substances like lead, pollution of water, gully erosion among others.

According to Ede, “Illegal mining without a proper license, has been linked to funding insecurity, supporting insecurity, and also increasing the risk, susceptibility to insecurity in rural communities and volatile communities, as the case may be.”

She stressed further, “Most often, it is because these resources that are illegally extracted as a result of mining are smuggled out of the country, sold outside of the country, and they are used to either purchase arms or fund terrorism in different ways”.

Also, a Representative of the Natural Resources Governance Institute, Ahmed Abdulsamad who spoke on ethical issues around critical minerals exploration globally and best practices, suggested stronger political will to close the gaps of smuggling out the raw materials hampering development but enriching few and developing other countries at the detriment of Nigeria.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji