Ebonyi seeks end to mineral crisis

From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State government has identified activities of greedy stakeholders as a major cause of crisis ravaging mineral rich communities in the state.

Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Chidi Onyia stated this in Abakaliki. He called for transparency in social responsibility roles of all mining companies to the host communities to guarantee rapid development in the state and charged the companies never to monetize any proposed community project rather ensure its execution and threatened to start mentioning names of defaulting stakeholders to the public to serve as deterrent if they persist.

Onyia encouraged mining companies to ensure adequate sand filling of the mining pits after excavation to reduce environmental hazards to host  communities in accordance with mining rules.

He noted that from 2026 all unregistered miners will no longer be allowed to operate in Ebonyi state following numerous negative effects of their activities.

“There is a need for collective efforts to end the crisis ravaging mineral endowed communities in the state. Most of the host communities were totally shortchanged by their stakeholders, not the mining companies. I discovered this in the course of my duties that they compel companies to monetise proposed community projects for their selfish gains at the detriment of the natives.

“They made sure that the people are not aware of their rights and didn’t ask for it. The mining regulations made it so clear that as a host community there are things you must benefit from the mining operation going on in your locality.

“The environment is to a large extent so degraded while the few stakeholders enjoy the benefits. As a government we insist there must be transparency in all the activities.

“ At the assumption of office,we discovered that the past five years most of the companies made provision for scholarships for natives, building of schools, hospitals,civic Centers,roads construction , portable water, installation of electricity among others for host communities but the stakeholders went behind and collected the money equivalent for their pockets. How then will development be felt in mining host communities?” the Commissioner asked rhetorically.