Nasarawa Speaker Wades Into Mining Company, Communities’ Feud

The speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Danladi Jatau, has brokered a ceasefire in the feud between a mining company, Black Gen New Energy Ltd and some communities in Kokona local government area of the state.

The affected communities include Igwo, Agbadu, Agaza and Egboka.

Gen New Energy Ltd is prospecting lithium in Igwo stretch into the three other communities.

The operation has triggered discontent between the parties with the people of the affected communities accusing the company of alleged move to take over their ancestral land.

At an expanded peace meeting convened by the speaker in the palace of the village head of Igwo, Muhammed Otogoyi, the feuding parties were asked to embrace peace.

In their presentations before the speaker, the chairman of Agwadu community.

Ayuba Osu, the representative of Egboka community, Abraham Kwose and  Saidu Haruna of Agaza community, said that the situation is worrisome because the activities of the mining company has been shrouded in secrecy.

They alleged that the evidence contained in the Certificate of Occupancy and Right of Occupancy pointed at a move by Black Gen New Energy Ltd to take over their ancestral lands.

However, the company’s liaison officer, Emmanuel Bitrus denied the allegations, explaining that the affected lands were just leased to the company for a defined period.

He also said the company followed due process and fulfilled all its Community Development Agreements with active involvement of all stakeholders.

The speaker blamed communication gap and struggle for personal gains as being responsible for the crisis in the affected communities, which he said was needless.

He called on all stakeholders across mining communities in the state and the people to support and encourage companies operating in the respective localities to succeed.

In their various contributions, the chairman of Kokona local government council, Hon. Agbawu Mek Agbawu who was represented by his Deputy, Mohammed Usman the Speaker of the local government legislative council and other stakeholders emphasized the need for the people to unite and work as one entity for peace and benefit of all.