Fifty Stakeholders on Monday, adopted a Synthesis Report on West African Regional Laws and Policies on Natural Resource Governance while calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the governments of West African countries to implement the recommendations of the Report in order to ensure the orderly development of the natural resources of the sub region in alignment with the provision of the African Mining Vision (AMV).
Commissioned by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), the Report noted that there is increasing demand for Natural Resource Governance (NRG) frameworks in resource rich countries in the ECOWAS region, adding that there is growing awareness that the natural resource endowments of the Region should be sustainably exploited and the proceeds properly managed for the benefit of the people.
According to the Report, the ECOWAS region is rich with mineral and oil and gas resources providing a source of revenue and foreign exchange earnings for Member States of ECOWAS.
The Report however noted that despite the rich endowments of the region, its people suffer from the ‘resource curse’ or ‘paradox of plenty,’ as this has not translated in the improvement of the material conditions of the people.
Stakeholders therefore agreed that the recommendation of the validated Report will lead to the delivery of the promises of development which West Africa’s ample natural resource endowments holds for the continent, a development that will lead to improvement of the standard of living of the people of Nigeria and the sub region.
Team Lead of the Research, Professor Peter Terkaa Akper who presented the Report titled, “Synthesis Report on West African Regional Laws and Policies on Natural Resource Governance: Lessons and Policy Recommendations for Nigeria and selected ECOWAS Countries,” to stakeholders in Abuja, on Monday, discussed recommendations for Nigeria saying that the Federal Government should commence consultations with relevant stakeholders to develop a comprehensive mining policy that will provide direction for the development of the mining sector while providing roles for the sub-nationals in the governance of the sector.
Akper, a renowned expert of mining law and policy encouraged the Federal Government to “provide for the laws that should be enacted/amended and establish an independent regulator for the mining sector.”
According to Akper and as integrated in the Research Report, the federal government needs to develop a policy on the exploitation and use of Nigeria’s development minerals and critical minerals as well as a robust exploration programme that prioritises the development of Nigeria’s legacy mines to attract investments to the mining sector.
He reiterated the need to review the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, and pointed out that it is a matter of necessity to review the provisions relating to Community Development Agreements (CDA), saying that the provision should be in tandem with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) relating to transfer of the social and economic benefits of mining investment to host communities through the mechanism of Incorporated Communities Trusts.
According to the Report, Government should enact a law on local content development in the mining sector to comply with the prescriptions of Regional instruments, adding that the Labour Act of 1974 should be reviewed. The review, the Report said should expunge the discriminatory provision relating to women especially in the mining sector.
Discussing the need to strengthen the capacity of implementing institutions, the Report stated: “The capacity of implementing institutions with regulatory oversight in the extractive sector should be strengthened to enable them to effectively discharge their mandates,” adding that the government of Nigeria should strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies to address intersectionality issues in the extractive sector.
According to the Report, “Civil Security Organisations in the extractive sector should be supported to provide targeted intervention programmes to complement the efforts of government in addressing the intersectionality issues and challenges besetting the extractive sector.”
Prof Akper recalled that the 1st Part of the Research Report which focused on Nigeria was presented and validated on 29th May 2024. Sequel to the Validation of 29th May, 2024, the scope of the research was expanded to cover 5 other selected ECOWAS Countries namely: Ghana, Mali, Cote D’ Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Gambia.
Consequently, the National Policies and Laws of the selected ECOWAS Countries were also analysed and compared to ECOWAS Regional Instruments to assess level of compliance and gaps.
It is important to note that an assessment of relevant Civil Society Organisations in the mining sector was carried out to determine their capacity to provide targeted interventions and programmes to complement government institutions with the mandate to address intersectional issues and other challenges bedeviling the extractive sector.
The National Coordinator of Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Mr. Taiwo Otitolaye moved the motion for the adoption of the Synthesis Report, while the President, Women In Mining Nigeria (WIMIN), Jema’a Local Government Area Chapter, Alice Eda Maikarfi seconded the motion which was not countered by any of the fifty stakeholders in attendance.
