Niger Delta group fault FG condition for issuance of Mining Licence in Northern states

The Movement for the Survival of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta has declined as “double  standard ” and “injustice” the decision by the Federal Government that oil mining companies in Northern States consult host communities before issuance of mining licences can be granted.

According to the group, though the decision of the Federal Government is based on the provision of the exclusive list of the constitution, the decision showed that the Federal Government operates a different constitution when it comes to the lack of proper consultation by oil multinational granted oil exploration licence in the Niger Delta States. 

The federal government had recently declared that it will not issue out fresh permits to solid minerals mining firms in Nigeria to mine for more minerals if they do not have the consents of their host communities.

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, also stated that the government has reviewed the country’️s Mining and Mineral Act of 2007, and fixed some of the loopholes that were identified in it such that it can now compete well with any mining laws in the world.

Reacting yesterday in a statement issued in Yenagoa and signed by the National secretary of MOSIEND, Ambassador Winston Cotterel Amain and a copy of which was made available to NAIJALIVETV.COM, the group wondered if  Nigeria now operates two different constitution’s for the north and south where communities in the north are authorized to mine their gold especially in Zamfara state while the oil and gas in the south south is an exclusive reserve for the federal government.

The MOSIEND scribe noted that this move is a demonstration of the continuous injustice, marginalization and oppression of the oil rich south south region. According to him ” how can communities in the north have the right to mine their gold while communities in the south can not refine their own crude oil and gas resources.

“How can the country be described as one Nigeria when the resources in Zamfara, Taraba, Bauchi, Nassarawa and Kogi is for the North alone while the oil and gas from the East and the Niger Delta are for the North and South”. He added.

Ambassador Winston Cotterel Amain however uses this medium to call on the multinationals oil companies to renegotiate with the host communities, noting that, the federal government can not continue to decide over the oil and gas resources in the south while giving the north a free hand over their own resources. 

The MOSIEND scribe further stated that the Niger Delta Region cannot continue to be a safe haven for the exploitation and exploration of Oil and Gas for the foreign earning of Nigeria. 

Comments

comments