Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has prohibited traditional rulers from entering into any agreements or Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) related to mining activities or other land matters within their domains. This directive accompanies the establishment of two new state agencies through the issuance of three Executive Orders.
The newly formed agencies are the Ogun State Mineral Resources Development Agency and the Ogun State Landscaping and Recreation Agency. The governor’s orders are aimed at ensuring proper regulation and management of the state’s mineral resources and land use.
The directive and the creation of these agencies were announced in a statement released on Saturday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade. The executive orders are to take immediate effect.
The governor said, “Ogun state has rich and vast deposits of mineral resources which must be explored responsibly, judiciously and without detriment to the environmental ecosystem in mining areas.”
”Now by the authority vested in me as the governor of Ogun State under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 constitution as amended, Prince Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun hereby other than an agency to be known as the Ogun State Mineral Resources Development Agency is hereby established.”
“The Agency shall directly or through qualified third parties, conduct and establish working relationships with host communities and local governments for the conduct of geotechnical and geological surveys of solid mineral deposits within their domains; geotechnical survey of solid mineral deposits in the State and maintain relevant data in the Sector; organises the solid minerals sector to the best interest of the state.”
“Develop and strengthen the local capacity of investors in the solid minerals sector and build value re-orientation of indigenes of the state towards engaging in solid mineral SME business; empower the youths in the state to participate in the mining business under specified programmes among others”
Speaking on Executive Order Two creating Ogun State Landscaping and Recreation Agency, the governor said it is in line with his administration’s transformation agenda to ensure sustainable development and fight climate change.
Abiodun explained, “Part of the visible evidence of the Transformation Agenda is the attraction of both Local and International commendation of the current administration’s vision in the State with regards to Tree planting, landscaping and beautification programmes in line with the International environmental standard and its vision for a flood free, hygienic and beautiful Gateway State such as to mitigate the effect of climate change.”
“The Ministry of Environment has started a massive and aggressive tree planting campaign to complement the beautification and landscaping programs to ensure an environmentally sustainable, healthier and beautiful society.”
“This greening initiative of the Ogun State Government is therefore conceived not just to beautify the environment but also to be experienced as an effort to mitigate the effect of Climate change, save the environment and protect our future which is aimed at reclaiming open spaces from all agents of environmental degradation.”
“There is, therefore, the need to create the Ogun State Landscaping and Recreation Agency, to sustain the modest achievement of the Ministry of Environment in the area of environmental regeneration and restoration and through the provision of Parks, Gardens and Recreational Centres State-wide to preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem of the environment.”
Abiodun said that the third executive order is to discourage and stop the sabotaging efforts of some traditional rulers conniving with some undesirable elements mining some resources of the state without the approval of the government.
“Pursuant to the authority vested in me as the governor of Ogun State, I hereby order as follows: That all forms of Traditional Institutions existing within the State are hereby with immediate effect barred from entering into any form of Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement with any individual, companies or organisations seeking Land within any part of the entire State for purposes of Mining or Industry and are to forthwith refrain from issuing any form of consent letters for mining across the State.”
“Any Traditional Institution or stakeholder in the Institution who flouts this Order shall be sanctioned in line with the provisions of the Obas and Chiefs Law and other relevant criminal statutes.”
“From the date of this order, any individual, company or organisation that enters into any Memorandum of Understanding or agreement with a Traditional Institution or stakeholders, whom this order applies on mining or industry shall be proceeded against in line with Section 61 of the Ogun State Criminal Law 2006 which prohibits interference with executive power. This Executive Order takes effect immediately.”
