Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State Signs Executive Order to Protect Mining Communities
In a bid to ensure the safety, security, and prosperity of mining communities in Cross River State, Nigeria, Governor Bassey Otu has signed an Executive Order No. 1 of 2024. The Order aims to protect these communities from exploitation, insecurity, criminality, restiveness, and unauthorized infiltration.
The Executive Order, which takes effect from August 14th, 2024, is aimed at ensuring that all mining companies and individuals operating in the state consistently pay their surface rent to promote good governance and safety across the state. The Order also provides for the verification of entities and miners with authentic leases and licenses from the Federal Government, as well as guidelines for collection, due dates for payments, and remittance of fees to state accounts.
According to the Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, the Order requires mining entities or individuals to obtain a Community Consent and Development Agreement, which must be vetted by the Ministry of Justice to avoid duplication and ensure that community development commitments align with the state’s overall development master plan.
The Order also empowers the Ministry of Lands to grant approval for physical infrastructural development by any entity in any part of the state, while the Ministries of Justice, Environment, Mineral Resources, Local Government Councils, Traditional Institutions, and the Cross River State Internal Revenue Service are to collaborate effectively to guarantee compliance with the collection of surface rents, enforcement of the Order, and prosecution of defaulters.
The Cross River State Executive Council is empowered to review the provisions of the Order every three years, while its application shall be done in conjunction with other relevant extant laws in the state as well as those to be issued in the future.
This Executive Order is a significant step towards promoting safety, security, and good governance in Cross River State, and it is expected to have a positive impact on the state’s mining communities.
