2nd NBA VP, Dr. Foluke Dada Wishes NEC Members Journey Mercies Over NEC Oncoming Meeting

Dr. Foluke Dada, the Second Vice President of the NBA wishes
all NEC members journey mercies and divine protection to and from
Abuja.

It is my prayer that this NEC meeting will be fruitful and
remarkable as we make the most of the opportunities bestowed on us
as leaders.

We must all work harder to move the Bar forward and more
positively too in order to achieve a world-class Bar worthy of
emulation.

Hope to see you all soon.

Thank you.

Dr. Foluke Dada

Related

FG Warns Illegal Miners, Reads Riot Act

Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee
(MIREMCO) has called on illegal operators in different parts of the
country to register and obtain licenses for their operations or
face the wrath of law.

The FCT Mines Environmental Compliant officer and a member of
MIREMCO from the Ministry of Mines and Steel, Engr. Osseini Enoch
made this call today while meeting with mining stakeholders from
Kwali, Kuje and Gwagwalada Area Councils.

Osseini called on illegal miners to register and obtain licenses
for their operations or face the wrath of the law as he also
advised registered miners to ensure they sign Community Development
Agreement (CDA) with their host communities. He said registration
of all illegal miners and signing of CDAs by registered miners must
be done on or before January 31, 2019.

“Whoever that is operating illegally has a month to register,
from now to January 31, get your license approved, if you have not
apply, go and apply. If you do not apply by January 31, 2019, there
will be no place for you to operate, please use this period to do
the needful after which the law will take its course,” he
stressed.

He noted that pollution and illegal mining activities in Kwali,
Kuje and Gwagwalada Area Council is enormous and beyond what
government could ignore adding that the purpose of the meeting was
to sensitize the communities on the danger of habouring illegal
miners to operate in their communities and the danger of pollution
in communities.

Osseini said one of the basic functions of the MIREMCO is to
consider issues affecting the communities in terms of environment,
pollution and most cases, deal with these issues decisively to
avoid an attitude of violence that might erupt between the mining
communities and the title holders of the minerals.

He affirmed that environmental pollution is a dangerous key
issue affecting mining communities. “There is no mines title holder
who is not supposed to do what is called an Environmental Impact
Assessment (AIE), this is to tell us where you are going to mine,
what are the adverse effect to the communities and what remediation
have you put in place to see that the communities are not
affected,” he emphasized.

He said part of the responsibilities of the committee is to
ensure that no pollution is done without remediation, and also
ensure that no operator or person operates without Community
Development Agreement. “You cannot excavate minerals without
bringing back to the community, the law is there and that is why we
re pleading that anybody, or company that does not have CDA by
January 31, will stop mining, close and reclaim the area.

He observed that Kuje Area Council has many mining title holders
who have refused to put up a CDA with the host community. He warned
that registered miners who refused to sign CDAs by January 31, 2019
date would have their license revoked.

He frowned at the fact that some illegal miners were operating
through the traditional rulers and politicians who were giving out
mining sites. “In some communities we visited, miners without title
go to the heads of the communities and get permits, it is an
illegal act and if you are a miner, you have to obtain a mining
license before you can operate in any community”.

He called on community leaders to desist from helping illegal
miners as any pollution in the community could result to several
deaths siting lead poisoning in Zamfara State that led to many
deaths as an example.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Gwagwalada Area Council,
Hon. Adamu Mustapha Danze, who was represented by the Head of
Department of Environment in the area council, Haruna Ahmed Labaran
pledged the supports of the area council towards the efforts of the
Federal Government at resolving the issue of environmental
pollution brought about by the activities of the illegal
miners.