Women from Imobi Autonomous Community, Uturu, in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest, calling on Governor Alex Otti and the state government to halt what they described as illegal granite mining activities in their area.
Marching through the community, the women carried placards questioning the legitimacy of the consent documents allegedly issued for the mining operation. Some of the inscriptions read, “The consent letter was signed by improper persons and should be forfeited,” “No change of consent letter, no commencement of quarry operations,” and “No community development agreement with Imobi, no commencement of quarry operations.”
The protesters said the mining activities pose serious environmental risks and warned that the community could suffer long-term ecological damage if the project is allowed to proceed without due process.
Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Madam Nkechi Uwakwe, said Imobi Autonomous Community comprises Amaedi, Amanyanwu and Onuzo villages, noting that the granite deposits cut across all three. She alleged that a small group of individuals from one village was attempting to take control of the site and its benefits without consulting the wider community.
Another leader, Lolo Florence Uka, accused a handful of persons of positioning themselves as sole beneficiaries of the quarry. She appealed to the state government to intervene and ensure that any engagement with miners involves the entire community and follows established procedures.
Mrs Nene Orieji also expressed concern over the absence of a known agreement between the community and the mining company, as well as the lack of an environmental impact assessment. She urged Governor Otti to step in to protect the community from potential environmental degradation.
The traditional ruler of Imobi Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Simeon Chimezie Chukwuemeka, said some individuals allegedly travelled to Abuja to sign a consent letter and register a mining company without the knowledge or approval of the community. Represented by the community’s Secretary General, Dr Adindu Kalu, the monarch said the women were demanding the revocation of the agreement to reflect the collective interest of Imobi people.
According to him, the protest was aimed at drawing the attention of the state government to the matter and seeking clarification on whether it had any involvement in the mining arrangement, as well as urging it to take appropriate action.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Abia State Government were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Prof Joel Ogbonna, were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
