Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has warned mining companies to sign community development agreements with host communities by December 31 or risk license revocation and reparations.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has issued a stern warning to mining and quarrying companies, directing them to sign Community Development Agreements (CDAs) with host communities by December 31 or risk losing their licenses.
The directive follows a review by the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) and the Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC) department, which revealed low compliance among operators. According to a statement by Alake’s media aide, Segun Tomori, only 24 out of 74 new mineral titles issued in the first half of 2024 had signed CDAs.
Further records showed that in 2023, 1,388 mineral titles including 960 Small-Scale Mining Licenses, 391 Quarry Licenses, and 37 Mining Leases were issued, yet only 342 CDAs have been signed.
Alake said, “Under our watch, responsible mining, marked by compliance with International Environmental, Social and Governance Standards, shall be the rule. We will not allow a situation in which companies rush to mine without first sitting down with the host communities.”
He added that refusal to agree with host communities amounts to “criminal expropriation and an unpardonable injustice,” warning that offenders would not only lose licenses but also pay reparations.
The minister urged communities to form quality negotiation teams and warned leaders against undermining CDAs through personal demands. He praised Mines Environmental Compliance director, Dr. Vivian Okono, for shutting down three non-compliant firms, stressing that “it is no longer business as usual.”
THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE NATION