…Seeks inclusive, balanced review of the nation’s mining laws
By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Abuja
The Urban-Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED) has expressed deep concerns over the recent assurances by the Senate Committee on Mining and Solid Minerals, to potential investors from China, that the nation’s mining law will be reviewed to protect their interests.
U-Red in a statement signed by its Lead Director, God’spower Martins, and made available to Journalists in Abuja, acknowledged the importance of attracting investments to the solid minerals sector, but disturbed that the focus seems to be solely on revenue generation without adequate consideration for environmental and host community rights protections.
The group maintained that the Senate Committee’s approach to reviewing the mining law appears to be a one sided approach – revenue-centered, neglecting the critical aspects of environmental justice and host community protection.
According to them, this oversight is quite disturbing, as it may lead to the exploitation of our natural resources without regard for the well-being of the host communities and ecosystems.
U-RED demands an all-inclusive review of the mining law that takes into account the rights and interests of host communities, environmental protection for sustainable development.
We believe that any review of the mining law must prioritize the following:
Environmental impact assessments to ensure that mining activities do not harm the environment. Host community rights and interests, including their right to participate in decision-making processes.
The others are respect for the right of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples and local communities, as enshrined in international human rights law before exploration even begins. And sustainable development and management of solid minerals to ensure long-term benefits for the country and its people.
The Importance of FPIC is a fundamental principle that ensures the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities are respected. It requires that communities are fully informed about the potential impacts of mining activities and are able to make decisions about their own lands and resources. We believe that the review of the mining law must prioritize the respect of FPIC to prevent conflicts and ensure that the rights of communities are protected.
We urge the Senate Committee to adopt a balanced approach that considers the interests of all stakeholders, including investors, host communities, and the environment in such engagements and when reviewing the mining laws.
By doing so, we can ensure that the solid minerals sector contributes to the country’s economic development, while also protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.
U-RED remains committed to advocating for environmental justice and the protection of host community rights. We will continue to monitor the assured reviewing of the mining law and engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that our concerns on environmental and host communities protections are addressed.
“We believe that a comprehensive and inclusive review of the mining law is essential for the sustainable development of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector”, he concluded.
