By Grace Oakhiena
The Edo State Commissioner for Mining, Hon. Andrew Ijegbai has waded into the crises rocking Dagbala Community in Akoko-Edo with harvest of peaceful resolutions for harmonious interactions, which is needed for community development.
In a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Mining, the Council of Elders of Dagbala Community deliberated how communal issues with miners and miners’ issues among themselves could best be resolved to allow for mining operations to kickstart without hindrance or fear of the unknown.
The Commissioner told the Council of Elders that the State Government has resolved to support the Community and the various stakeholders to ensure that mining activities in Dagbala is all but blessings to the State. He assured them that the identified challenges are surmountable only that concerned stakeholders must arrive at common grounds.
Hon. Ijegbai assured the Community that Makana-Makana and Hay Bravo would be invited for a meeting to discuss the issues raised with a view to resolving peacefully. He warned that if the duo continued their divisive tactics in denying the State of its due revenue, their operations in Dagbala would be shut down.
Clarifying categories of licenses, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Martina Ese Omoruyi, guided that mining licenses acquired for specific minerals cannot be used to mine other minerals. She cited Hay-Bravo mining sites, which according to her, were shut down for three years, and that the Organisation resumed operations in January, without informing the Ministry of Mining.
Mrs. Omoruyi reiterated that resolutions made in the previous meeting with relevant stakeholders will be upheld to ensure consistency in operations. She emphasized that the State Government has taken mining seriously as the Ministry will be monitoring activities of miners to forestall illegal and cunning businesses, warning that the State Government will not tolerate such. She also guided that licenses should translate to their cadastres, such that definite locations of miners in various communities are known.
The Director of Mining, Mr. Ihianle Omoruyi explained the distinction between exploration and mining licenses, stressing that holding an exploration license does not automatically grant mining rights. He noted that community interference has been a major setback to mining and development in Dagbala Community and suggested the creation of a “Community EXCO” bank account to receive mining benefits in case of crises among the kindred.
The Secretary to Dagbala Community, Mr. Usman O. John Paul pleaded with the State Government to handle Makana and Hay Bravo, which according to him, have been causing divisions in the Community. He disclosed that the Community has resolved to register a Company, “Oreruba Nigeria Limited”, and has started raising petitions to revoke the licenses of the problematic companies.
Other stakeholders who attended the meeting include the Liaison Officer between the Ministry and Dagbala Community, Mr. Amos Oriakhi Okogbe; representatives of the Council of Elders, comprising Chief Festus Dania, Chief Efikih Paul, Chief Paul Abu, Chief Martin Saliv, amongst others.
With the Edo State Government commitments to developing the mining sector, Dagbala Community is hopeful that the resolutions reached during the meetings will bring about lasting solutions to the challenges facing it.
