Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Kwanta Yakubu addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia
By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia –
Nasarawa State Government has revealed why it recently clamped down on a mining site owned by
Timadix Geomin Consult Limited, in Amba community of Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Kwanta Yakubu, disclosed this during a press conference on Wednesday, in Lafia.
Recall that last week, Timadix Geomin Consult Limited, addressed the press where it accused the state government and a Chinese firm of undue interference in the operations of the company which crippled the activities at its mining sites.
The Managing Director of Timadix Geomin Consult Limited, Tim Eldon, called on the Federal Government through the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, to call the Nasarawa State Government to order in the interest of justice.
Reacting to the false accusation, the Commissioner of Environment, Kwanta Yakubu, said the state acted based on a petition written by the village head of Amba and order No 02 of 2022 signed into law by Governor Abdullahi Sule and to protect the community.
“There exist in Nasarawa State, the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 signed into Law by His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, which particularly, provides that all community Consent and Development Agreement made pursuant to Section 116 of the Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 and prior to signing by authenticated Community Heads shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to be vetted and certified by the Attorney General of Nasarawa State”
“This is to avoid multiple issuances of community Consents and Development Agreements to mining entities and ensure that community development commitments made therein is not in conflict with the overall development masterplan of the State” he said.
Kwanta also said, the Executive Order also provides that all mining entities arriving the State with authority of the Federal Government to carry out mining in the State must undergo checks by the Ministry responsible for environment.
“The so-called mining entity claiming to be licensed to carry out mining activities in Amba community is not known to the Nasarawa State Government according to the provisions of the Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 and the mining site remains closed and secured until responsible investors who are trusted by the community and the State, through a proper consenting, are licensed to mine in the area” Kwanta noted.
