Mining: Abiodun bans Ogun monarchs from signing MoU

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has banned monarchs from entering into any form of agreement on industry or mining activities in their domains.

Newspot reports that the governor had cautioned the traditional rulers in the state on the allocation of land to illegal miners and unapproved sale of public property, particularly on plantations.

He maintained that illegal mining has had a negative environmental impact on some communities and placed some of the most significant public assets in the state at risk.

The governor, on Saturday, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, noted that acquisitions of lands for the purpose of mining or industry must be made through approved, standard, and transparent processes.

The statement reads: “Ogun State has vast tracts of land containing mineral resources attractive to investors. The Ogun State Government is building a sustainable industrial economy which will significantly increase private investments, enhance job creation and improve revenue generation, thus making land, its management and use an area of key focus and interest. Whereas, the State recognises that to achieve the above, when miners and investors bid to acquire and explore available land for mining, industrialisation or any other approved use by the State Government, such acquisitions and explorations must be made through approved, standard, preset, and transparent processes.

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“The State, therefore, observes the current trend in which miners and investors circumvent regulation and government oversight by encouraging Traditional institutions to interfere with land management by entering into Memorandums of Understanding and other irregular legal arrangements. NOW THEREFORE, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE CONSTITUTION AS THE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE, I HEREBY ORDER AS FOLLOWS:

“That all forms of Traditional Institutions existing within the State are hereby with immediate effect barred from entering into any form of Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement with any individual, companies or organisations seeking Land within any part of the entire State for purposes of Mining or Industry and are to forthwith refrain from issuing any form of consent letters for mining across the State.

Abiodun, however, warned that any monarch or organization found flouting the order would face the law.

“Any Traditional Institution or stakeholder in the Institution who flouts this Order shall be sanctioned in line with the provisions of the Obas and Chiefs Law and other relevant criminal statutes. From the date of this order, any individual, company or organisation that enters into any Memorandum of Understanding or agreement with a Traditional Institution or stakeholders, to whom this order applies on mining or industry shall proceed in line with Section 61 of the Ogun State Criminal Law 2006 which prohibits interference with executive power” the statement added.