The revised mining guidelines for the production of the Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in the solid minerals sector launched by the federal government has been described as a welcome development by a pro-democracy group, Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG).
CDG’s statement on Monday, signed by its Convener and National President Comrade Razaq Olokoba said the initiative was welcome because it is a right step towards the desired devolution of power and restructuring of polity to reconstruct the rickety political structure that has hindered the growth and development of the country.
The group was reacting to the disclosure by the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Dele Alake who was reported to have led the launch on Friday in Abuja at an event organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Ministry of Solid Mineral Development and the Ford Foundation.
The quoted Alake as explaining that the federal government was committed to ensuring that host communities derived maximum benefits from mining operations and activities for local and national economic development, adding that the CDA is a statutory provision that ensures the transfer of socio-economic benefits to mining host communities.
“It is a legal document that contains obligations by the Mineral Title Holder (MTH) to her host community and vice versa,” Alake was reported to have declared, explaining further that, “The mining of mineral resources had significant impacts on host communities, thus the imperative of concerned communities to be carried along in the activities of the sector.”
Olokoba, who described the development simply as “devolution and restructuring” stated that, “With the forgoing, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has impressed us on devolution of power on Mining,” asserting that, “As simplified nobody should be scared anymore once restructuring is mentioned.”
The CDG boss, who is an advocate of ‘Government Talking to People,’ therefore commended the Minister for the expose said, “We need more of this because it is the surest way out of this unworkable and rickety Political Structure and a sure signs that prosperity is beginning to gravitate towards the country.”
His words: “We need similar thing on Security Architecture of this country, we need a more significant role for the States, local government and the stakeholders. Every Policy requires more explanation than just the pronouncement. Alake has done well by taking time to breathe it down and explaining it to Nigerians, all other Ministers should therefore emulate him.”
According to him, ministries and agencies must take time to break down policy pronouncements, commending Nyesom Wike the FCT Minister as another Minister that takes time to talk to Nigerians, and it is very helpful.”
The statement concluded thus: “Meanwhile, now that Mr. President has demonstrated once more the capacity to take us out of this political structure that has kept us on a spot, we must not miss the opportunity to rise up to offer necessary support and come up with more helpful submissions. We hail him loud and clear on this and we are happy that we have been finally absolved.”
