From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Federal government has promised to ensure host communities in the mining sector across the country receive maximum benefits from mining operations in their areas.
Minister of solid minerals development, Dr. Oladele Alake, stated this at the unveiling of the revised guidelines for the production of community development agreements,CDAs in the solid minerals sector in partnership with the African center for leadership strategy and development, in Abuja.
Dr. Alake said the President Tinubu led administration is committed to improving the security of the mining environment through a new security architecture already in the works.
“Everyone of us in this hall comes from one host community or the other. We come from somewhere, and that’s a host community, So when we talk about energising, enhancing the situation of host communities, we are talking about ourselves” he stressed.
The minister said that there is also a law that mandates and regulates activities between miners and host communities.
“There must be material benefits for these host communities. There is a clause in the Nigerian Mining Act that affects host communities,” Alake said.
He mandated host communities and operating companies to sign community development agreements (CDAs).
The minister said the sector has been neglected over the years but that has changed, as the ministry is not oblivious to the transition to clean energy globally.
Alake said for the survival of the economy, the focus has been shifted to the country’s God-given resource that is in abundance — solid minerals.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the African center for leadership strategy and development, Mr. Monday Osasah Said the whole of Africa is blessed with enormous human and natural resources but all of these has not translated to development because of issues of leadership, strategy and inappropriate development approache hence the need to partner the solid minerals ministry for adequate development of the sector.
Mr. Osasah stressed the center had identified these three challenges and had trained people for leadership roles for optimal performance in running government businesses.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Mary Ogbe appreciated the group for collaborating with the ministry for the review of production and launch of key development agreement that ensure socioeconomic benefits to mining host communities.
“It is a legal document that contains obligations of mineral titles holders to their host communities, these guild lines have been reviewed to meet up with global best practices and sensitize title holders and general public on the need for sustainable mineral resources department in Nigeria” she added.
Also in his goodwill message, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Ayanleke commended the ministry for the level of development that is happening around the mining sector since the inauguration of this present administration.