• Excavations destroy homes, sack blind man, widow in Ebonyi community
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
There is atmosphere of despondency at Okworeka in Nkaleke Echara Nduebor Community, Ebonyi Local Government, Ebonyi State. This is because people are being rendered homeless due to mining activities of two companies.
Two of the persons severely hit by negative impact of the companies’ operations were a visually impaired man, Stephen Ovuoba and a poor widow, who wished not to be named. Their houses were destroyed by effects of stone blasts.
Chairman of Iji International Investment, Chief Godwin Obeji, one of the mining companies, when contacted on phone by Daily Sun declined comment. The company’s secretary, Chikodi Ojemba, equally ignored our phone calls.
Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Chris Uchaji, said his office was yet to receive such complaint from the people of Okworeka, just as the Ministry of Environment would not comment on the issue.
Ovuoba, the blind father of five whose source of livelihood is street begging, said: “For three years now that my house of four rooms and parlour was damaged by the company’s stone blasts and other mining works, I have not received any compensation from either the Chinese company or Chief Obeji.
“I visited the quarry site, Mkpumauzu, about 100 meters away from my home on several occasions: Before the people started the mining work in 2017, the officials promised that they would rebuild all the houses being damaged by their activities and give the victims compensation of cash.
“But after destroying my entire compound with their blasts, they refused to listen to me maybe with the hope that I will not do anything since I am blind.”
Ovuoba had lived in the damaged compound for 17 years before the coming of the mining company to the area: “The company has reneged on all the agreements reached with us. We call on the state government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals to intervene.
“Each time the people want to blast stones, they will signal us by blowing whistles. Immediately, all the people living within the axis will run for their lives. After about three hours, we will return.
“This is how we have been living in fear until the particular day that the same blast felled my house. Presently, my wife, five children and myself alongside other neighbours are homeless whereas the company has not ceased from their operations.
“I have approached some stakeholders in the village and the mining company’s secretary, Ojemba, on this situation. Up till now, nothing has been done. I want an alternative place to be provided for my family as stipulated in the village’s agreement with the mining company.”
Coordinator, National Association of the Blind, Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Mr John Onyibe, sought government mediation for Ovuoba to provide shelter for his immediate family.
A document: “Supplementary Lease Agreement between Mr John Ugurunshi Nwankwegu, village head and others (Lessors) and Iji International Investment Ltd (Lessee),” made available to Daily Sun, stated that the company through its chairman, Obeji and the secretary, Ojemba, had collected the Mkpumauzu quarry site containing granite stone deposit on lease directly from the people of Okworeka Village but later gave the same to China Zhonghao.
It further stated that during the transaction, the main lessee in collaboration with the foreigners agreed as matter of urgency to relocate those whose residential buildings were damaged by the effect of the activities but in a situation where the victims preferred cash over their damaged properties, such arrangement would be negotiated individually with the company.
But in spite of the large number of the villagers who are currently homeless due to the devastating effect of the mining activities, the joint companies have allegedly abandoned them to their fate including the blind beggar.
Before the commencement of mining in the place, the joint companies had agreed to pay N60million to the villagers for the lease of 15 years. But it was alleged that the companies stopped the payment after giving the people N8million in the first and second years of their operation. Some members of the host community said that all efforts to recover the balance of N52million had been futile.
It was learnt that the two mining companies agreed to construct four-kilometer road annually for the community, involving grading, lateriting and building of bridges together with drilling of boreholes for the people. Additionally, the lessee would conduct evaluation of all buildings, crops and economic trees being damaged through its operation and pay adequate compensation to the affected persons.
It was also agreed that after the first two years, known as the stabilization period of the company, its officials would embark on developmental projects for the village such as award of university scholarship to 15 indigenes while the villagers would be provided with 60 per cent job opportunity under casual work and 40 per cent for specialised work.
According to the document, the villagers who might be interested in haulage business in the company were to be provided with 20 per cent reduction, the hosts would be provided with a hospital, village hall among other benefits as contained in the said agreements.
Financial Secretary of the village, Uchenna Nwankwo, alleged that the company has not compensated any of the victims since 2017 that it started operation. He added that the havoc caused by the mining activities had geometrically gone high due to the frequent stone blasts.
He claimed he lost a four-room and parlour house to the stone blasts while his second building was already witnessing severe cracks as a result of the same mining work.
He and others appealed for government intervention: “Some Federal Government officials from the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had come and seen the destructions by themselves in 2018. Same applicable to estate valuers who even numbered the affected buildings and gave mine 007.
“The annoying aspect of the problem is, if one goes to the Chinese, they will refer the person to Ojemba and the man himself doesn’t give the needed attention concerning the destructions.”
The village head, Osondu Anigor, said: “I have not benefitted anything from the company, same thing applicable to other villagers. None of our sons or daughters is a staff of the company. The situation is pathetic because we do not know that foreigners will be milking our resources in this manner.”