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Coal: Group urges FG to compensate Enugu communitiesOil Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) has urged the Federal Government to compensate Enugu State particularly the coal producing communities commensurately for bearing the economic burden of the entire country.
In a keynote address presented at the inauguration of Enugu State chapter of OMPALAN, the Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) and National leader of the group, Bishop Udo Azogu noted that Nigeria’s economic growth suffered a major setback because of overdependence on oil.
He noted that Enugu owed its geo-political significance to the discovery of coal in 1909, which necessitated the establishment of a colliery at the coal site in 1914 and construction of 150-mile railway to convey coal to Port Harcourt terminus harbor.
Bishop Azogu observed that the hard-earned peace process in the Niger Delta region risked derailing, unless drastic measures were put in place to address stiffening conditions of survival in producing communities which he said were casting dark shadows over the impact of robust mitigation schemes in the area.
“It is our shared desire that viable projects be sited in oil and solid minerals producing communities to cushion the harsh effects of worsening environmental impacts and reassure the people of government’s goodwill.”
Also speaking, the state Chairperson of OMPALAN, Mrs. Justina Aniagolu explained that the association was a holistic frame work that provided synergy among the oil/mineral companies, the government and the Oil/Minerals Landlords, stressing that it ensured sustainable exploration of the oil/mineral deposit with the least possible negative externalities.
She noted that they had come to broker peace and stimulate development in the state, adding: “In this era of neo-globalisation where there is liberalisation of trade and transfer of capital and technology, we know more eyes are looking at coal now coupled with the high energy requirement of our time.
“Smile Enugu people for the beacon of hope is here and the sun is risen for we definitely have a bright day ahead. It is not going to be business as usual, extraction of coal back in the days has rendered many valleys, many areas useless and with little or no development in the communities.”
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