By Yemi Olakitan
Two civil society organisations (CSOs), “We the People” and “Development Concern,” have demanded that the mining leases granted to the companies Abdulrasaq and Company International Mining Limited and Vintage Mining and Exploration Limited within the Cross River National Park, Oban sector forest be immediately revoked.
The groups stated that the appeal has grown urgent in order to stop any continuing mining operations and stop any ecological destruction during a press conference recently, in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
Ken Henshaw, a representative of We the People, and Dr. Martin Egot, of Development Concern, said they were aware that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had given the two companies mining rights to conduct operations in the vicinity of the National Park in violation of all applicable laws and regulations in the nation.
They cited Section 29 of the same Act, which clearly declares it unlawful for any unauthorised person to enter the National Park without permission from the Conservator General, which outlines the duties of management committees and reinforces the exclusive dedication of national parks to the propagation, protection, and management of vegetation and wildlife.
Additionally, the group emphasised that mining activities are expressly forbidden in Nigeria under section 30 (1) of the Act and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 as well as in areas covered by the National Commission for Museum and Monuments Act.
“We question why mining is still taking place in the Cross River National Park in light of the two strong legal provisions that expressly forbid such activity.
“We also question to what degree the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, which is in charge of awarding mining permits, has authority over the ministry in charge of environmental protection.”
The groups claimed that allowing mining operations in the national park would have a significant negative impact on the environment, negate the purpose of conservation, and expose the forest to other dangers like logging and wildlife poaching.
The groups demanded that the appropriate security agencies be mobilised in order to remove mining workers from the mining site.
They also demanded that an independent and thorough environmental impact assessment be conducted on the affected area in order to ascertain the extent of harm already caused by the mining activities and serve as the foundation for appropriate remedial actions.
“We demand that the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development be subject to appropriate sanctions for issuing the mining lease without proper authorization, as this will serve as a deterrent against subsequent violations and emphasise the importance of adhering to legal protocols.”
The groups said, “We also call for local communities near Cross River National Park, Oban section, to actively participate in conservation efforts and for appropriate compensation and remediation measures to be taken in case of significant ecological damage.”
