A two-day training for journalists on mineral governance and host community rights in Nigeria, on Monday commenced in Abuja for increased sensitization of the mining host communities on the provisions of the Mining Act and the Community Development Agreement.
Discussants and participants at the training believe the ignorance of the host communities is a major reason behind their undue exploitation by miners, insisting that when they are adequately enlightened, they would be empowered to demand their rights.
The training which attracted journalists and stakeholders in the mining industry across states of the Federation, was organized by the Global Rights Nigeria, an international human rights and governance capacity-building non-governmental organization, with support from the Ford Foundation.
In a welcome remark, the Executive Director of Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu said it is the vision of the organization, to entrench a culture of human rights, in a sustainable manner across communities in the country.
Describing the media alongside the family and the school as critical partners in entrenching cultural value, Baiyewu noted that the media could not drive the conversation around responsible and sustainable mining, if they are not conversant with, hence the need for the training.
“What we are doing is to put the lives of these vulnerable communities in your hands to save.
“Today, the Chinese are exploring and ferrying away our minerals, while damaging the land, disrespecting and assaulting people of the host communities.
“I, therefore, want to urge the participants to take the programme seriously, so as to drive the desired change we want to see,” Baiyewu said.
During a panel dialogue on reflections in mining host communities in Nigeria, community rights and rights to development, the first co-chair, Federation Nigerian Mining Host Community (FNMHC), Niger State, Habibu Abubakar Wushishi, regretted that in Niger State, bandits, who are illegal miners, had been instrumental to the erosion of cultural values through their nefarious activities.
He said this had escalated incidences of prostitution, drug intake, communal conflicts and other social vices in host communities.
He expressed worry that the government had made no genuine efforts to address the problem, aside the blame game, noting that most of them were not just aware of what is happening, but also involved in what is happening.
For the second co-chair of the FNMHC, Ogun State, Dr Temitope Olaifa, regretted that major beneficiaries of mining activities were outsiders, while the developmental angle of mining eludes the host communities.
According to her, findings have shown that most communities were not aware of the provisions of the Mining Act and Community Development Agreements, which she said determined the percentage with which benefits from mining activities would be shared.
“The miners who are aware of the Act and the CDA, do not want to implement it. The people who should demand for their rights do not have knowledge of their rights.
“The CDA should ensure that both the communities and the miners should come to agreement as to what should come to the communities. Government is not doing anything to enlighten the communities, either as a result of ignorance or complicity in the illegal activities.
“Communities should be empowered to know their rights, through education and sensitization,” she said.
A representative of the FNMHC Ebonyi State, Dr Francis Orji observed that part of the reason the problem of illegal mining and its ravages still persisted was that the illegal activities were underreported.
He commended the initiative of the training, adding that it would help the media professionals to understand the challenges of the host communities and be able to adequately publicize such issues.
In a presentation on understanding mining, the programmes manager of Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe took the journalists through the processes of mining, listing the benefits of mining as numerous when done in a responsible and sustainable manner.
