Lack of Government Oversight in Lithium and Gold Mining in Nasarawa Community – Group

THE Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has called on THE Federal And Nasarawa State Governments has to carry out appropriate monitoring functions has stop illegal minors NOW troop In Uke district In Karu local government area of Nasarawa In research of solid minerals.

RDI request East informed by results Since A investigation door out by It is field monitors In Uke district In Karu LGA Or community members complained about THE unchecked influx of foreigners In THE community And THE probability of insecurity In THE district due has THE illegal mining activities.

They revealed that THE situation has escalation following THE recent announcement by THE State government that he had got A Licence Since THE federal government has mine gold And lithium In THE neighborhood.

Governor Abdallahi Sule had disclosed during THE State executive advice meeting In January 2024 that THE State government had secure three licenses For exploration of gold And lithium, And Express optimism that THE State will advantage immensely Since THE exploration of THE mineral deposit In terms of income generation And job opportunity For It is teeming young people.

THE mining landscape

But RDI Advice member, Tobias Dapam Longnan said that THE team that visited THE district REMARK that However THE mining activities In THE area were raw And missing pretend of appropriate regulation, THE minors stop anybody Since future In THE environment with video registration equipment Or those intend has to use their Telephone(s) For THE even aim. They Also bar anybody WHO complaints has be A journalist Since enter THE mining sites.

THE team Also learned that THE horde of young minors consisting of mostly non-native And nationals Since other countries In West Africa TO DO not respect THE culture of THE people, And display aggressive trends When they are disputed.

He was alleged that next to Since THE poor State of THE environment, prostitution East NOW A serious challenge In THE district as THE minors allegedly lure young girls far Since their houses And schools with species In exchange For sex, promises of obtain them mobile Telephone(s) And other favors.

In A statement issued In Abuja, RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor say it situation In Uke And surrounding mining communities In Nasarawa reflects A growth And worrying model of breach of THE environment In mining communities through THE country Since Zamfara has Kaduna, Plateau, Ebony And somewhere else allowing THE minors has function unchecked while THE local landowners And Farmers lose outside."

M Jakpor explain that THE results expose THE rigid reality that THE kind of crisis In communities Or fossil fuel extraction occurs East NOW be replica In communities Or THE exploration And extraction of supposed Green minerals as lithium are in progress.

He argued that THE lack of appropriate monitoring functions And monitoring of mining activities And It is actors by THE government are responsible For THE challenges that Locals close THE mining sites are complain about even as he added that suddenly all THE mining sites In THE country to have become Do not go areas.

"In a few case there East clear connivance between THE minors And unscrupulous government civil servants WHO allow them has terrorize And force communities And farm the owners Since their ancestral land SO that they can continue their environmental hostile practices".

On the way further away, he required that THE Nasarawa And Federal Governments constrain THE mining companies Operating In Uke district has conform with regulations In Nigeria Minerals And Mining Act 2007 which stipulates that No acknowledgement activity duty be door out And No mineral title duty be granted below THE...