Miners’ association seeks payment of compensation to members
By Jessica Dogo
The Mining Entrepreneurship Stakeholders Association has urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of compensation to the owners of a closed quarry, Nino Corporation Ltd.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa, made the appeal at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.
Inuwa urged the government to compensate the quarry owners to enable them relocate their equipment to the proposed new site for the firm.
He said that as the quarry commenced operation within a month in 2018, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) reportedly took over the land to build a new correctional facility in Karshi, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“This is to appeal for the government’s quick action on the demand for compensation on the takeover of our land and business premises for the ongoing construction of a correctional facility at Karshi.
“This particular land and business premises is actually a quarry company operated by Nino Corporation Ltd, of which some of our members have stakes.
“Many others run businesses of supplies, transportation services, marketing mechanical and engineering services and sales, among others.
“This take over disrupted production and crippled the business activities, thereby putting all the investments, including bank loans whose interests have continued to grow by the day.
“At the highest risk, many of our members and their families have been suffering the socio-economic effects of this development since then,” he said.
Inuwa said that the land was a solid mineral area under the control of the government, which allocated the quarry site to Nino Corporation Ltd through the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals Development.
According to him, the quarry site, massive rocks, was legally obtained by Nino Corporation Ltd from the Federal Ministry of Mining and Solid Mineral Development with all necessary documentary evidence.
Inuwa said: “The claim by the government was that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) allocated the land to the Nigerian Correctional Services.
“However, after a series of meetings between the FCTA and Nino Corporation Ltd, the FCTA authorities admitted to an error on their side.”
The Chairman said after several efforts by Nino to communicate its demands to the relevant authorities the Comptroller-General of the NCoS, invited the management of the quarry company to discuss the issue of compensation.
He commended the efforts of the government in tackling the challenges of securing Nigeria’s Correctional facilities by approving and funding the construction of ultramodern correctional facilities in the country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
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