Nigeria is moving towards alternatives to oil with solid minerals as a viable option. In this interview by ISAAC SHOBAYO, the Head of Corporate Operations and Communications of a major mining company in Jos, Plateau State, Elipse Group of Companies, Daniel John Baraya, speaks on the prospect and challenges of the sector. Excerpt
In some parts of the country, especially in the North West and North East, bandits are actively involved in mining, thereby fueling insecurity and economic loss to the country. Don’t you think this might hamper the efforts of the federal government to rejuvenate the sector?
You know, when the banditry thing came up a few years ago, the first business that suffered was mining because they didn’t stay in towns and cities. They stayed in the bush, and our business is in the bush. So we found out that we lost a lot of people who needed to go there for their daily income, and they fell victim to the activities of this banditry. And I think, apart from farming, the only other area that suffered economically and even psychologically was mining. I think they are growing now to the point where they are, like you said, collecting royalties and basically exploiting legitimate mining companies. It is either you pay, or you will not operate. So, most people just quietly leave, and they acquire those areas.
Now, lots of mining sites have been fully occupied by bandits. So, the government really needs to do something about that. So that we know that you can go into the bush, do your business, and come back safely. The most pernicious part of it is that they brought kidnapping into the whole mix, and if they, by mistake, catch anybody and realize that this person is a miner, they will feel that they have hit a goldmine.
If that avenue is locked up because of insecurity, that means that investment is gone. So, if the government is serious about it and they want investment in the sector, they have to do something about it.
How do you think the federal government can drive the process of repositioning the mining sector to achieve its goal?
Well, we have been scratching the surface so far in this country. And we have been doing that mostly without government support. Now that the government has decided to come in and support us, it’s a good thing. It’s a welcome development. Our only prayer is that they will touch those areas that are really the main choke points that are disturbing the industry. The pronouncements so far that the government has been making are very encouraging. And the area we hope that they will focus on is number one: the regulatory environment. That is the main problem holding this industry back. Of course, the Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 is not enough with the modern realities on the ground. It’s not capturing the actual operational problems that we’re facing; I’ll give you an example. You can go to a place and identify a mineral; you are expected to start exploration. Now, when you do that, you’re supposed to go and file an application with the ministry. But before they give you any license, they will expect you to go to the community and obtain their consent, which is good. Now, the problem with that is who is in the community. Sometimes there is a landowner who farms on the land or does activities on the land; it’s his land. Maybe through history and tradition, it becomes his land, and then there are traditional rulers.
Now, there is always a problem. If you collect the consent of that landowner and take it to the ministry tomorrow, somebody will come up and say he is the paramount ruler in the community; he has not given you consent. And the law, as it states, is that you seek consent from the landowners. Now, on the basis of the paramount rulers’ complaint, your licence gets revoked, and the law does not recognize that. So, what we are saying is that one of the key areas that they can help us with is clarifying this point and making it okay if we are going to seek consent from the community, from whom, and which one will protect our interests. If they say to work with the traditional institutions, fine. That means nobody can come tomorrow and say, I’m a landowner; it’s my father’s land, and I did not give you consent.
If they say to work with the landowners, fine. We will work with that; nobody can come and write a petition tomorrow and claim that I am the chief, so I should have a say in the matter. Once that is clarified, it helps and makes it easier. Also, we know what we are doing. And the ministry should take a very strong stand to make sure that this issue is clearly spelled out for the operators to understand so that our business can move forward.
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