By David Olu
The Federation of Nigeria Mining Host Communities, Ebonyi Chapter, says it is committed to addressing the injustice and deprivations suffered by mining host communities in the state.
The state Coordinator of the group, Dr Francis Orji, said this on Friday, when he led other members on a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Ebonyi, Dr Ben Odoh, in his office in Abakaliki.
He said that the core mandate of the federation is to assist mining communities articulate their common struggles and demands for extractive justice and equity in resource distribution.
According to him, Global Rights in 2019 catalysed the formation of the federation across the 36 states of the country in an attempt to amalgamate mining host communities.
“The federation is a citizens-led initiative to demand accountability and protect the rights of mining host communities and ensure a trickle of the benefits of mineral resources down to the communities from which they are harnessed.
“Ebonyi chapter of the federation, in line with the mandate of the federation, aims to create a strong platform for host communities in the state and the government, toward the protection of the rights of the host communities.
“The federation is equally committed to ensuring transparency in extractive revenue receipts that feed into the state and federation accounts.
“It is sad to note that almost all the host communities in the state wallow in abject poverty and without social amenities, including roads, electricity, water and education, among others.
“The communities suffer from pollution and environmental degradation, despite the huge financial gains that extractive companies make from the communities,” he said.
Orji, a one time Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Community Development, also said that there were reported but uninvestigated cases of human rights abuses and exploitation of host communities by the extractive companies.
“Members of the federation commit to working collaboratively with your ministry in developing and communicating strategies, advocacy plans, and broader, holistic efforts geared at community empowerment, social and economic justice, and corporate extractive accountability.
“In the light of the above, we have identified your ministry as one of the cardinal organs of government that will assist us to meet our legal requirements in the pursuit of our objectives,” Orji further said.
The group also informed the commissioner about it’s proposed visit to mining host communities and some sites to engage them and understand their challenges.
“We shall also engage non-state actors on judicial conflict mediation, where mining induced conflicts exists, in order to promote healthy and peaceful environment necessary for business to grow and profit the state and host communities.
“We shall also be building capacity of host communities and members on their mining and legal rights within the context of Community Development Agreement and Environmental Protection,” it said.
It commended the state Gov. Francis Nwifuru for his landmark achievements so far, especially over the digitisation of justice delivery system in the state.
In a remark, Odoh thanked the federation for their visit and commitment to the fight for justice and rights of people in mining host communities.
He said that the Ministry of Justice and State Government would support and partner with the federation in providing legal safe haven for both the host communities and mining companies.
He said that the mining industry had so much to offer to the people and government, adding that government would support any efforts and strategies to ensure equity, social and economic justice.
He further said that operators in the sector should be monitored to ensure that their operations and activities were in consonance with the approved legal standards.
“We commend your efforts and assure you that as a government, we will continue to provide the legal framework necessary to ensure equity, transparency, social justice and accountability in the sector,” Odoh said.
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