- Urge NSHA to embark on fact-finding visit to Awe, Uke, Abuni, Rafin Kaji River, others
A group of environmental activists have urged the Federal and Nasarawa State governments to immediately put measures in place to curb the severe pollution of water bodies and farmlands in host communities of lithium mining by Multiserve Mining Company, especially in Uke and Awe in Karu and Awe councils of the state.
They made the call in Lagos at the unveiling of report findings from the communities conducted by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) in collaboration with the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF), Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) and Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation.
Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, who unveiled the report titled: Mining Impacts in Nasarawa Communities a Ticking Time Bomb, recalled that the group raised the alarm in April this year on the alarming state of the environment in Uke following the commencement of lithium and gold in the community.
His words: “We had noted the state of the environment, the exploitation of girls as young as 13 years in sex trade with licensed and illegal miners, as well as the influx of foreigners in the community. Unfortunately, we are yet to hear of any positive change since our report was published.
“Rather we have documented an even worse disturbing trend in Awe where the locals allege that a Chinese firm- Multiserve Mining Company is also negatively impacting Abuni Community. What makes Abuni unique is the abundance of solid minerals in its landscape, including lead, copper, zinc and lithium, making it one of the communities that contribute to the revenue earnings of Nasarawa State.
“Not only is their only source of water-the Rafin Jaki River, severely polluted with waste water chemicals, but the company has rejected all attempts to act responsibly and in accordance with known global standards of mining. Another unfriendly practice is the earth-shaking rock blasting the mining company carry out indiscriminately and intermittently with dynamites, which resulted in serious cracks in most houses in the community.”
Residents of Awe, Tafida Awe and Isah Ibrahim, who spoke virtually at the unveiling, affirmed that the dirty water from the mining activities has polluted the Rafin Jaki River, which serves no fewer than 12 communities up to the border at the Benue River, making the people to now suffer untold hardship in efforts to meet their water needs.
They lamented that when they approached the Nasarawa State Ministry of the Environment to intervene and assist them, they were asked to take the water sample for a test in Kaduna, adding that even after the result was released, showing pollution with chemicals, the ministry had done nothing about their plight.
“The severe pollution of our water source and farmlands has compromised the material which we use to produce salt, because we are also blessed with the raw material to produce salt in Awe and adjourning communities. The crops in our farmlands no longer produce good yields.
“Since the mining activities began in our communities, we have also witnessed increasing crime like armed robbery, kidnapping and prostitution among our young girls, who go to the miners in the name of selling petty items. The miners are exploiting the poverty of the community folks to perpetrate their sex escapades with our girls and young ladies,” they said.
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In his intervention, Executive Director of Eden, Barrister Chima Williams, affirmed that findings have shown that violations of the environment of the mining host communities were going on unchecked and that the people are totally helpless because they want to remain law-abiding citizens.
“Sometime in July 2024, we had advocated for the establishment of Mining Monitors comprising representatives of host communities, ministry of mining and environment and civil defense, among others to monitor mining sites and routes to arrest illegal miners and hand them over to the police for investigation and prosecution.
“Mining inspectors that should be the component of this initiative shall without notice visit mining sites to determine whether or not the operators are operating within acceptable standards including the use of personal protective gears,” he stated.
Also speaking, Executive Director of CFSF, Sani Baba, who expressed concern that water pollution and reported death of locals in Awe, stressed that the situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further, adding: “We cannot sacrifice the lives of our people and particularly that of our children for the greed and profit of mining firms.
“We urge the Nasarawa State Government to act on our demands and those of the locals in Awe, Abuni and Uke for a speedy investigation of the situation, initiate sanctions for erring firms and remediation for the impacted environment.”
In their petition to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, the groups demanded that the House should embark on a fact-finding visit to Abuni, Uke and Awe with particular attention on the communities around the mining sites and the Rafin Jaki River, as well conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of the communities and their environs, their source of water and farmlands.
“Government should revoke the mining license of Multiverse Mining Company if investigations show breaches of Nigeria’s environmental laws and compel the company to take full responsibility for the cleanup and other remediation efforts in Abuni Community and others, as well as compel the company to pay compensations to impacted people.
“All artisan mining practices that affect the people and the environment in the communities should be stopped, while the authorities must carry out proper oversight on operations in Abuni, Awe and Uke mining sites.
“Agreements reached between the firms and some unscrupulous traditional rulers who have jeopardized their communities through their actions should be investigated and thoroughly scrutinized,” the petition reads.
