Ebonyi: Greedy stakeholders’ problem of mining communities – Onyia
By Amarachi Ehia, Abakaliki
Ebonyi state government has identified greedy stakeholders to be the cause of problems witnessed in mining communities.
The State Commissioner of Solid Minerals Development Chidi Onyia disclosed this to Journalists in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
Onyia lamented how stakeholders delight in impoverishing members of the communities whose lands are endowed with mineral deposit thereby making them not to know their rights.
He regretted that the same stakeholders dialogue with mining companies to monetize project that are supposed to bring development to the communities and share within them.
Onyia however warned them to desist from such act or risk being exposed.
The Commissioner called for transparency in social responsibility roles of all mining companies to the host communities to guarantee rapid development in the state
Onyia encouraged mining companies to ensure adequate sand filling of the mining pits after excavation to reduce environmental hazards to host communities in accordance to mining rules.
He noted that from 2026 all unregistered miners will no longer be allowed to operate in Ebonyi state following numerous negative effects of their activities.
“There is need for collective efforts to end crisis ravaging mineral endowed communities in the state. Most of the host communities were totally shortchanged by their stakeholders not the mining companies. I discovered this in the course of my duties that they compel companies to monetize proposed community projects for their selfish gains at the detriment of the natives.
“They made sure that the people are not aware of their rights and didn’t ask for it. The mining regulations made it so clear that as host community there are things you must benefit from the mining operation going on in your locality. The environment is to a large extent so degraded while the few stakeholders enjoy the benefits. As government we insist there must be transparency in all the activities.
” At the assumption of office, we discovered that the past five years most of the companies made provision for scholarship for natives, building of schools, hospitals, civic centers, roads construction , portable water, installation of electricity among others for host communities but the stakeholders went behind and collected the money equivalent for their pockets. How then will development be felt in mining host communities? the Commissioner asked rhetorically.
