FG sets Dec. 31 deadline for mining firms on CDAs

The Federal Government says mining and quarrying companies issued licences since 2024 person Dec. 31 arsenic deadline to reason Community Development Agreements (CDAs) with big communities.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, gave the directive successful a connection by his Special Assistant connected Media, Segun Tomori, connected Thursday successful Abuja.

The is coming aft a show reappraisal of mining companies’ compliance to CDAs for the archetypal fractional of 2025, arsenic presented by the Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC) Department of the ministry.

Alake said that companies that default connected the deadline would beryllium sanctioned, which could effect to revocation of their licences and outgo of reparations for minerals extracted.

He said that the study revealed that though 74 caller mineral titles were issued by the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) successful the archetypal fractional of 2025, lone 24 CDAs were signed.

According to him, successful 2023, the MCO issued 960 small-scale mining licences, 391 quarry licences and 37 mining leases, totalling 1,388 titles, each of which should person signed CDAs earlier commencing extraction.

“In 2024, the MCO issued 728 small-scale mining licences, 198 quarry licences and 28 mining leases, totalling 954 mineral titles.

“The licence holders were obliged by instrumentality to prosecute big communities and motion CDAs earlier opening operations,” helium said.

The curate said that the wide borderline betwixt the thousands of mineral titles issued with lone 342 signed CDAs was alarming, underscoring the urgent request to enforce compliance.

“Under our watch, liable mining, marked by compliance with planetary Environmental, Social and Governance standards shall beryllium the rule.

“We volition not let a concern successful which companies unreserved to excavation without archetypal sitting down with the big communities to hold to execute projects and programmes that volition code their needs.

“We person penalised companies that owed yearly work fees by revoking their titles.

“Refusal to support the Nigerian radical by agreeing with them connected what the communities volition summation from the mineral exploitation of their onshore is transgression expropriation and an unpardonable injustice,” helium said.

Alake urged communities to found prime dialog teams, including retired professionals who could bring their expertise to unafraid bequest projects and programmes that would payment youths, women and the assemblage astatine large.

He cautioned assemblage leaders and accepted rulers against making compromises that undermined CDA negotiations by demanding idiosyncratic gifts from companies to the detriment of their communities.

“Some urge contractors who bash shoddy projects and pouch what the communities should benefit,” helium said.

He commended the MEC’s Director, Dr Vivian Okono, for shutting down 3 companies, namely Istanbul, Venus and Cornerstone, successful August for delaying CDA negotiations with their big communities.

“That should beryllium a wide awesome to others that it is nary longer concern arsenic usual,” helium said

The station FG sets Dec. 31 deadline for mining firms connected CDAs appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.