Kogi community worried over mining activities, sends SOS to government

After about 57 years since the commencement of coal mining activities in downtown Odagbo in Ankpa Local Government of Kogi State, the community said that it was impoverished by successive companies that engaged in the mining exercise.

Rather than improving the lots of the people of the community, they said their land was devastated while the streams that provided water to them were polluted thereby dragging us backward.

Mining activities in the community began in 1964 beginning with the New Nigerian Development Company,  Ferrows Cubic Gancati and the defunct Nigeria Coal Corporation (NCC).

Spokesman for the community, Mr Daniel Iduh Okubi in a statement made available to North Central Trust lamented that the companies that engaged in mining activities for a long time in the community have turned deaf ears to the plight of the people.

“Nothing concrete was done as part of their social responsibility to the people in the face of the polluted water and the devastated farmlands that have permanently redrawn the ecosystem.

“To make matters worse, the new companies operating in the community are not reliable as they have towed the part of insincerity like their predecessors, which casts aspersions on their ability to do the needful.”

He said having confirmed Koyla Energy as the rightful and legal owner of Odagbo Coal Mine, the company should swing into action and complete the payment of compensation.

Mr Okubi called on both the state and federal governments to save the souls of the people as further exploration will place the entire community in jeopardy.