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Yakubu Kwanta, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources
By Our Reporter, Lafia
Nasarawa State Government has closed down an illegal mining site in the Amba community of Kokona Local Government Area (LGA) of the state for not following the due process.
Mr Yakubu Kwanta, the state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources disclosed this in a press briefing in Lafia, the state capital.
He explained that the illegal mining company was discovered by the personnel of his Ministry during their routine inspections of mining sites in the state.
“Our personnel discovered that Trimadix Geomin Consult Limited was operating in the Amba community of Kokona LGA without following the lay down due process by the Nasarawa state government.
“We took a bold step and closed down the site on April 19, 2024, to secure the community following a series of complaints about the tension in the area,” he added.
Kwanta explained that Trimadix Geomin Consult Ltd was stopped from operating illegally by a joint team of security agencies.
He also noted that security personnel had currently taken over the site at the directive of the state government.
“The community also wrote a petition about the illegal mining activities in their area without proper consent and we needed to take action to avoid a breakdown of law and order,” he added.
The commissioner noted that Gov. Abdullahi Sule had issued Executive Order No. 02 of 2022 that community consent must be forwarded to the state government before any mining company can operate in any part of the state.
“All community consent and Development Agreement made pursuant to Section 116 of the Mineral and Mining Act, 2007 and before signing by authenticated Community Heads shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice.
“The said documents will be forwarded through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to be vetted and certified by the Attorney
General of Nasarawa State,” he added.
He noted that the Executive Order aimed to avoid multiple issuances of community consents and development agreements to mining entities and ensure that community development commitments made therein are not in conflict with the overall development
master plan of the state.
He added that the Executive Order provided that all mining entities arriving in the state with the authority of the Federal Government must undergo checks by the ministry responsible for environment and mining to verify their legal status, citizenship, and background before settlement.
Kwanta therefore, called on the general public to disregard insinuations of undue interference by the state in some quarters, adding the decision was taken to ensure peace and adherence to the existing laws guiding mining activities in the state.
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