The people of Awo-Akpali and 10 other communities in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State have cried out over the health hazards they are being subjected to due to coal mining activities of a company in the area.
The Chairman, Awo-Akpali Community Development Association,(ACDA), Mr Ojochogu Marcus Ochigbo disclosed this while receiving the Patron of Ethical Values Compliance Corps, Hon.Tijani Isah Abdullahi in the village.
The chairman, who acknowledged the import of coal as a vital component of energy generation, however, lamented that the exploration exercise had led to the pollution of the only serving stream that the community and eight other villages in the environs depend on.
According to him, the only grace for the residents of Awo Akpali is the only borehole, constructed by a Rev. Father and which he magnanimously extended to the people.
He stated that though the company constructed motorised borehole for the community, it had broken down long ago while efforts to repair it remained a mirage.
According to him, in spite of the fact that Awo Akpali was the host community to the company, it had not deemed it fit to employ any of the skilled indigenes of the village, adding that many unskilled members of the village were given jobs in the company as casual workers.
He said that the health centre started by the company, which was supposed to be completed and handed over to the community by the end of this month, has not been completed.
Ochigbo, who said that though the company gave N1 million to the village annually as scholarship to its indigenes to further their education, the amount was grossly inadequate and call for an upward review.
He called on the company to fulfil its promise of empowering the people of the village through revolving loans, award of contracts to some of them and demolition of heaps of coal, which could pose as potential health risk to the people.
The Commander of the Corps in the state, Mr Okpanachi Timothy and two other officers were in the village to feel the pulse of the stakeholders and to assess the company in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility to its host community.
Reacting to the people’s complaints, the patron of the Corps, described the pollution of the river, as claimed by the people, as most unfortunate, adding that the health of the people was of paramount concern to the founder of the Corps, Dr Sera Jubrin.
He promised to convey the people’s complaints and demands to the management of the company for a timely solution, to ensure harmonious relationship between the company and the host Community.
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