Women decry coal mining ‘devastation’ in Benue

Women of Effeche-Akpali Community in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State have demanded for their land restoration after coal mining degradation by a mining company. The company has however denied the allegations, noting that they had not defaulted the terms of agreement. Our correspondent reports that Mrs. Virginia Abah, a representative of the […]

Women of Effeche-Akpali Community in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State have demanded for their land restoration after coal mining degradation by a mining company.

The company has however denied the allegations, noting that they had not defaulted the terms of agreement.

Our correspondent reports that Mrs. Virginia Abah, a representative of the Community Women Leader, told journalists at the site of the degradation that they are facing hardship following the loss of arable land for farming because of the mining activities of conglomerate mining company.

She noted that the expanse of land leased to the company was the beginning of hardship for the women in the community, adding that being farmers, land remains their main source of livelihood thus, the loss has triggered scarcity, conflicts and poverty.

“We have also experienced and endured unprecedented environmental degradation in the past five years because of the mining activities.

Air, land and water pollution negatively affected farming as crops are characterised by yellowing leaves, stunted growth and poor yields while strange diseases has become rampant,” she said.

Abah also lamented that, “the coal mining company has abandoned this vast land now reduced to craters, gullies and sand dunes causing erosion and silting of our stream. Let him come and do thorough remediation of the land.”

Earlier, the Executive Coordinator of a rights based group, Green Leaf Advocacy and Empowerment Center, Nelly Umoren, who conducted journalists around the degraded and abandoned area called for the remediation of the land by the company.

Umoren expressed shock at the level of devastation of the land and wondered why the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), other relevant agencies and the State Ministry of Environment have not acted to ensure proper remediation.

She therefore tasked the women to take steps to seek solution to the problem, saying, “Women, you have the capacity so carryout advocacy visits to NESREA and your local government chairman on this issue of remediation. It is your right to live in a clean and healthy environment to engage in meaningful economic ventures.”

Meanwhile, the Kindred Head of Effeche-Akpali Community in Ugbokolo Clan, Chief Samuel Ameh, confirmed that the village leased 62 hectares of land to Dangote mining company for five years after negotiations.

“We signed a five-year Community Development Agreement (CDA) detailing projects including remediation after expiration of the lease.

“Some of the projects have been completed and while we were waiting for the others I was invited to sign further lands for them, I refused. I want the company to remediate the land and conduct Post Impact Assessment (PIA) now that they have moved into another community’s land,” Chief Ameh insisted.

…Company denies allegation

Reacting to the allegations, General Manager (Special Duties) of Dangote mining company, Nuhu Elegeh, said since the company began mining in the community in 2020, it had lived up to its agreement and social responsibility.

He said every year, the company has paid surface rent to the community since it began activities there.

“We entered an agreement with the community and part of it was that we must pay surface rent which is N100,000 per hectare and every year we pay N6.3m to the community because we have not finished reclamation for the area we last mine, that’s we have not handed the land to them.

“As soon as we finish reclamation we will hand over the land to them.  We started mining in 2020 and the area we mine, the cashew we planted is already producing. We mine and do reclamation, clean up the area and plant economic trees. We usually pay upfront and have continued to abide by the agreement up-to-date.”

Elegeh added that even as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, they have provided solar borehole, electricity, built classrooms and given scholarship to people of the community, wondering why the community did not approach the company directly if they had any grievance.