By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and its partners have written to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to investigate the level of environmental pollution caused by mining activities in Awe and Karu Local Government Areas of the state.
In a petition to the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, jointly signed by the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and the Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF), urged them to carry out a fact-finding visit to Abuni community with particular attention on the communities around the mining sites and the Rafin Jaki River.
The letter also urged them to visit Uke district and environs to
uncover the uncanny situation in those areas.
RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor, told journalists during a press conference that the situation in Awe was particularly disturbing as the locals blamed the environmental degradation in the community on Multiverse Mining Company, allegedly owned by Chinese.
The locals claimed that the Rafin Jaki River which is their only source of water had been polluted, leading to the deaths of some children in 2023.
The locals also raised alarm over indiscriminate rock blasting and heightened insecurity in the area, saying the situation is similar to Zamfara and other states where mining is responsible for the insecurity.
Speaking on the issue, a resident of Awe, Isah Abubakar explained that the pollution of the river was the height of the insensitivity of the Chinese firm.
He said the local community obtained water samples from the river which was tested in a laboratory in Kaduna and found to have dangerous chemicals.
After the findings, he said the mining company rebuffed their attempts to dialogue on the subject, saying their dealings is only with the government.
He said lithium and gold in their communities have become curse rather than blessing.
Also adding to the discussion, another resident of the community, Tarfa Awe said that the community is also suffering government neglect as there are no good roads and the electricity is epileptic. He lamented that while the locals go for weeks without electricity, the Chinese mining firm had 24 hours electricity.
In his intervention, EDEN Executive Director, Barrister Chima Williams said that the findings and the amateur videos show that violations of the environment are going on unchecked and the local people are totally helpless because they want to be law abiding.
Williams pointed out that the situation in Uke and Abuni reinforces the call by EDEN for the establishment of Mining Monitors comprising of mining host community representatives, Ministry of Mining representatives, Civil Defence representatives, among others to monitor the mining sites and routes, arrest any illegal miner and hands over to the Police for further investigation and prosecution.
He said that 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 commended the Nigerian Senate for the proposed Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS) which passed second reading a few days ago, insisting that such an initiative would ensure that incidents like what is happening in Nasarawa are nipped in the bud and not allowed to happen anywhere else in the country.
On his part, Executive Director of CFSF, Comrade Sani Baba extolled the patience of the community people in Awe and Karu LGA even as he noted that the findings in the mining communities are disheartening and confirm the organisations 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.
Comrade Baba said that CFSF is determined to work with RDI and other partners to see to it that justice is done in Nasarawa State even as he stressed that the lives of every Nigerian matters and refuses to accept the disdain that the mining firms, especially those from China have for Nigerians and the Nigerian environment.
“We are particularly worried about the pollution of water and reported deaths of the locals in Awe LGA. The situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further and we cannot sacrifice the lives of our people and particularly that of our kids for the greed of mining firms.”
Meanwhile eight key demands are contained in the petition to the House:
1. Carry out a fact-finding visit to Abuni community with particular attention on the communities around the mining sites and the Rafin Jaki River. Uke district should also be visited.
2. Carry out a comprehensive environmental audit of Abuni community, Uke district and environs including their source of water and farm environment
3. Revoke the mining license of Multiverse Mining Company if the investigation shows breach of Nigeria’s environmental laws
4.CompelMultiverseMiningCompanytotakefullresponsibilityfortheclean-upand other remediation efforts on the environment in Abuni Community.
5. Compel Multiverse Mining Company to pay compensation to impacted people.
6. Halt artisan mining practices that affect the people and environment in Abuni
community and Uke district and Investigate and scrutinize agreements reached between the mining firms and
some unscrupulous traditional rulers who have through their actions put their communities in jeopardy.
