Environmental Neglect, Inadequate Compensation Characterize Federal Handling Of Solid Minerals, Says Cross River Governor

The Cross River State governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, has sharply highlighted the federal government’s neglect of environmental and community welfare concerns amid solid mineral extraction across Nigeria, calling for urgent legislative reform to empower states in managing their mineral resources with fair compensation and environmental safeguards.

During a recent visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals to the Government House in Calabar, Governor Otu decried the imbalance whereby the federal government derives significant revenue from mining activities, while local communities in mineral-rich states like Cross River suffer from unchecked environmental degradation which includes – air and water pollution that accompany extraction operations.

“While the Federal Government is drawing huge revenue from these minerals, the locals are constantly blighted by air and water pollution,” Governor Otu emphasized, underscoring the absence of adequate federal policies mandating proper environmental management or compensations for affected populations.

He traced the root cause of this challenge to the legal framework enshrined in the 1999 Constitution; which vests exclusive control over mineral resources with the federal government and compounded by laws like the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and the Land Use Act of 1978.

This restrictive arrangement contravene states’ ability to oversee resource management, enforce environmental protections, or ensure that communities benefit economically from the exploitation of their land’s rich deposits of limestone, granite, gold, uranium, and other minerals.

Governor Otu urged the House of Representatives to drive constitutional amendments that would place ownership and management of solid minerals on the Residual list, thereby decentralizing authority to states.

He argued that such reform would not only empower states to better regulate mining activities and enforce environmental remediation but also guarantee fair compensation to the communities that presently bear the brunt of mining’s ecological harm without commensurate benefits.

Echoing these concerns, Hon. Gaza Jonathan, chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, stressed the need for stricter compliance with existing laws and effective remediation after mining operations.

He highlighted how failed management and absent reclamation efforts have led to tragic consequences across Nigeria, urging for formalized agreements that ensure mining companies operate sustainably and adequately compensate impacted communities.

Together, their voices expose the federal government’s ongoing neglect of equitable resource governance and environmental responsibility. They call for a comprehensive overhaul of policies that currently prioritize federal revenue collection at the expense of local livelihoods, environmental health, and sustainable development in mineral-rich states like Cross River.

Without proper compensation, stringent environmental protections, and local control, the promise of solid minerals catalyzing growth for host communities remains, as Governor Otu lamented.