Residents of several mining host communities in Cross River State have accused cement manufacturer Lafarge Africa Plc and its predecessors of exploiting their natural resources while leaving behind enviro,nmental degradation, poverty and underdevelopment.
The allegations were made during a town hall meeting on mining, livelihoods, environment and community participation organised by We The People in collaboration with Policy Alert under the "Waiting We Gain" project in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state.
Representatives of communities including Akansoko, Mfamosing, Akwa-Ikot Effanga, Abiati and Mbobui alleged that decades of limestone mining in the area had yielded little benefit to host communities despite the enormous wealth generated from their land.
Speaking at the event, a consultant with Policy Alert, Mfon Gabriel, said Community Development Agreements meant to guide the relationship between mining companies and host communities had largely remained unimplemented since mining operations commenced in the area.
According to him, communities have been shortchanged over the years and deserve compensation for unfulfilled development commitments.
"We observed that the Community Development Agreements that ought to have guided development in the host communities have largely been non-existent or unimplemented. There is a need for a concrete agreement that reflects the needs and consent of the people and adequately compensates them for years of neglect," Gabriel said.
He also called for independent environmental audits of Lafarge's operations, alleging that mining activities had resulted in pollution, destruction of economic trees, dust emissions and other environmental challenges.
Gabriel urged the Federal Ministry of Environment and relevant regulatory agencies to conduct comprehensive environmental assessments to determine the true impact of mining activities on the communities.
He further called on the Cross River State Government to ensure that benefits accruing from mining royalties and derivation funds are channelled towards the development of host communities.
"We are saying that government should not use revenues from these resources solely to develop urban centres while communities where the minerals are extracted remain neglected. The people bearing the burden of environmental degradation should be prioritised," he added.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of We The People, Ken Henshaw, said years of mining activities had exposed host communities to health risks, environmental degradation, livelihood losses and infrastructural decay.
Henshaw lamented what he described as the exclusion of communities from key decisions affecting mining operations in their areas.
He alleged that mining companies often determined benefits for communities without meaningful consultation, while some local elites acted as intermediaries who diverted opportunities meant for residents.
"Communities have remained passive participants in a process that directly affects their lives and livelihoods. What we are doing is strengthening community agency so that residents can demand accountability and participate meaningfully in decisions concerning their resources," he said.
Henshaw further alleged that the state government was not receiving the full royalties due from mining activities, claiming available data suggested significant discrepancies in revenue declarations.
According to him, empowering communities to monitor mining activities could help improve transparency and accountability in the sector.
A stakeholder from Abiati community, Raphael Effiong, also attributed some of the challenges facing host communities to local contractors and community leaders, whom he accused of failing to utilise opportunities provided by the company for the benefit of residents.
Effiong said some contractors awarded jobs under local content arrangements often employed workers from outside the host communities while neglecting qualified local youths.
He urged community leaders and contractors to demonstrate greater accountability and ensure that development projects were executed according to approved specifications.
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