The Kogi State House of Assembly has called for the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Omala Local Government Area of the state pending the outcome of the investigation and further legislative action.
The call is sequel to a motion of urgent public importance on Wednesday moved by the lawmaker representing Omala State Constituency, Yahaya Umar calling on the State Government to stop the pollution of rivers and environment by coal mining activities in the local government.
The House also called on the State Government and relevant federal regulatory agencies (Federal Ministry of Mines, Mining Cadastre)
to urgently intervene by mandating a full-scale investigation into the activities of miners and assessing the environmental and health impacts of coal mining activities in Omala LGA and across Kogi State.
Presenting the motion before the house, Umar asked the Assembly to urgently address the growing environmental and public health crisis resulting from the activities of coal mining companies in Omala and other parts of Kogi State.
He said, “I urge this Honourable House to note that the original idea behind licensing coal miners in Kogi State was largely part of the Nigerian Electricity Vision 30:30:30 and the Rural Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (RESIP) which were rolled out in 2015 and aimed at diversifying our power mix and increase renewable energy contributions to the national grid.
“Coal was expected to contribute 4°% of power generation by 2020, and 10% by 2030. But today, that dream has not only failed to materialize, it has turned into a nightmare for our communities.
“For over eight years coal mining firms were licensed to mine coal in Kogi State with the stated goal of power generation, including: Rockbottom Mines and Power, Mosra Enerji Ltd, and others.
“However, most of these firms have failed to deliver any measurable electricity contribution to the national grid. Rather than powering our homes, these coal mining activities — particularly in Oloku on the outskirts of Abejukolo, Omala LGA — have led to serious pollution of rivers, destruction of farmlands and contamination of the very water sources that thousands of our constituents rely upon for drinking, cooking, sanitation and irrigation.
“Alarmed that companies like Rockbottom Mines and Mosra Enerji Ltd are discharging acidic coal waste and heavy metals into the Alugbo River, which has now threatened the major water system that flows downstream through Edihi and links to the Omala River — the same river from which our Local Government derives its name. Communities such as Oloku, Otti, Icheke Ajedibo, Ikeffi, Oliya, Ibadan, Kaduna, Efiwo, Ajaja, Ogoh, Abejukolo and others are all affected. These facts are disturbing.
“When coal seams are exposed to air and water, they produce acid mine drainage, leaching toxic metals like arsenic, lead, and copper into surrounding water bodies. These poisons do not just pollute rivers, they accumulate in the food chain and pose serious health risks to both humans and livestock. The science is clear about this.
“Worried that this water contamination will not only put the health and livelihoods of thousands of citizens at risk but disrupt agricultural activities, causing land degradation, and endangering aquatic life and biodiversity in the area.”;
He pointed out that while these companies profit from their land and resources, many of the host communities have no access to electricity, no alternative water supply, and no meaningful community benefits.
“These mining operations, though licensed for power generation, have failed to deliver on their core mandate while the host communities continue to bear the brunt of the environmental damage caused by the mining activities.”;
Continuing, he said, “Similar environmental concerns are being raised in Ankpa LGA, where other companies, including Zuma 828 Ltd and Dangote, operate coal mining sites with limited regard for community benefit or environmental remediation. As an institution, we must, therefore, act – not tomorrow, but now.
“Environmental degradation is not just a rural issue; it is a governance issue, a health issue, a justice issue – and it is within our constitutional mandate to act in the interest of our people.”;
He prayed that an Ad-hoc Committee be constituted to investigate the activities of coal mining firms in the affected areas, particularly Rockbottom Mines and Mosra Enerji Ltd, and report its findings with actionable recommendations to the House.
Seconding the motion, Jacob Olawumi, member representing Mopamuro State Constituency, asserted that it was pathetic to see that Kogi State is suffering from the natural resources given to it by God, adding that all companies working against the agreement with the state must be sanctioned.
The Vice Chairman, House Standing Committee on Solid Minerals, Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin, described the motion as disturbing.
“The reason why I say this is disturbing is because it involves human lives and animals. Mining companies are taking advantage of us. It is unacceptable to see that mining companies are just after what they are gaining and not looking at what they are doing in our State.
“It is my position for this honorable house to invite this companies to ascertain their scorecard. We must stop them from further mining exercise until they find solutions to the problem on ground. If they failed to meet our demands, we will ban them from mining in Kogi State,”; he stated.
Throwing his weight on the motion, the lawmaker representing Kogi Koton Karfe State Constituency, Idrees Aliyu Maikudi blamed the royal fathers in various communities for engaging on illegal activities with some miners in the state. “Some miners will visit these traditional rulers with small envelopes and they will immediately grant them access to mine in our land. This must stop,”; he warned.
Yusuf Zakari from Okene II Constituency argued that there is need to enact a law banning sales of land to companies with minimal deposits.
Ruling on the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House who presided over the sitting described it as disturbing, noting that environmental degradation is a collective responsibility for all to tackle in the state.
She sounded a note of warning to miners in Kogi State, stating that they have over the years deviated from their social responsibilities to their host communities.
“It is not just in Omala, Ankpa, Ijumu, and Ajaokuta, it cuts across all the state. This time, we must take proactive actions before they keep polluting our environment and killing our people.
“All coal mining companies operating in Omala, Ankpa, and other parts of Kogi State should implement enforceable Community Development Agreements (CDAs) and fulfil their corporate social responsibility (CSR) obligations to host communities in line with global best practices,”; she said.
The House also resolved that the Kogi State Ministry of Solid Minerals be mandated to carry out an immediate compliance audit of all mining operations in the state and ensure strict adherence to national environmental and mining guidelines.
It also directed that the State Government should provide emergency alternative sources of clean water to the affected communities.
The Deputy Speaker set up a five man adhoc committee to look into the matters and report back to the Assembly in two weeks.
