Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Ekong Sampson
By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo –
Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development has urged stakeholders and practitioners to adhere strictly to safety measures and best practices in the mining industry.
It decries cases of complacency on safety by operators, as well as wanton environmental degradation caused by unethical mining activities in many parts of the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Ekong Sampson stated this during the Committee’s oversight visit to Ebonyi and Enugu States.
The Committee was in Nigeria’s eastern heartland as part of its nationwide engagements with mining settings and key players in the sector.
Addressing stakeholders in town hall meetings held across locations in Abakiliki and Enugu, Senator Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South, harped on the need for players to play by the rules of engagement in line with extant mining legislations and ethical standards.
The lawmaker in a statement by his media aide, Samuel Udoma, frowned at practitioners who were only concerned with carting away the nation’s underground wealth and thereafter, abandoning and enduring insecurity and environmental degradation.
He charged operators to imbibe the culture of responsible mining.
Earlier, Sampson had led members of the Committee on courtesy visits to the Governors of Ebonyi and Enugu, respectively. In Ebonyi, the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, was represented by his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, while Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu, was on hand to receive the top level Senate Committee.
Addressing the governors in separate fora, Senator Sampson acknowledged the rich mineral profiles of both Enugu and Ebonyi States. He added that the mineral deposits presented significant opportunities for investment, job creation and socioeconomic development not only to the host States, but Nigeria at large.
Sampson said that the Committee’s tour was in accordance with resolution of the Senate at plenary, focused on exploring synergy, collaboration, policy, legislative alignment and a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s mining industry towards developing the sector as a viable means of economic diversification; and in line with their oversight functions.
Responding, Governor Nwifuru welcomed the team and called for stronger collaboration between the State and Federal Government. She said such partnership will not only help streamline the State’s mining base, but will boost its IGR and community development, significantly.
On his part, Governor Peter Mbah, expressed his alignment with the Committee’s vision on synergy, collaboration and policy strengthening. Mbah re-echoed that Nigeria was sitting on untapped mineral wealth, which hold immense potential for economic growth of the nation.
He however, cited poor data sourcing, limited access to trusted geological information as some of the key barriers to investment in the sector. Governor Mbah pledged the commitment of the Government of Enugu to working with the Committee to further drive the mich-needed reform in the sector.
The Committee, as part of its itinerary, also embarked on tours to some mining sites and companies in the area, including First Patriots Limited in Ameka, Setraco Quarry in Ezillo, Ebonyi State, African Pit Quarry in Udi, Enugu, and many other active mining sites.
Among members of the Committee on the trip were: Vice Chairman, Senator Mustapha Khabeeb, Senate Deputy Majority Whip, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, Senator Diket Plang, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, Senator Anthony Ani, Senator Okechukwu Ezea, among others.
