Education:
Ebonyi Government Secures ₦5 Billion, Scholarships For Mining Communities
It revealed that over 1,000 students from these host communities have scholarships facilitated through mining companies operating in the state.
The Ebonyi State Government has secured over ₦5 billion in Community Development Agreement (CDA) projects and compensation packages for mining host communities across the state.
The outgoing Ebonyi State Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abakaliki during an official handover ceremony to his successor, Magnus Nkah, following the recent cabinet reshuffle by Governor Francis Nwifuru.
Onyia, who has been redeployed as the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, noted that the ministry was transformed from a “moribund” establishment into a vibrant institution prioritising the welfare and rights of host communities.
He emphasised that the current administration shifted its focus from mere revenue generation to ensuring that local communities directly benefit from mineral exploration through strictly enforced CDAs.
According to the outgoing commissioner, several communities are now benefiting from critical infrastructure, including concrete roads, health centres, classroom blocks, electricity, water schemes, and school laboratories.
Furthermore, Onyia revealed that over 1,000 students from these host communities are currently on academic scholarships facilitated through mining companies operating in the state.
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Detailing the financial milestones achieved during his tenure, Onyia disclosed that the ministry successfully negotiated hundreds of millions of naira in compensation for affected landowners.
Over ₦500 million was paid to landowners in Ndufu-Alike in the Ikwo Local Government Area by First Patriot Mining Company, secured for another community as pre-operational compensation of over ₦500 million. While Community Development Agreement packages worth over ₦2.5 billion and ₦1.5 billion were secured for separate host communities over five years.
Onyia highlighted that the cumulative value of these projects and compensations exceeds ₦5 billion—a massive leap from previous agreements, which, in some cases, were worth less than ₦50 million.
A major milestone, Onyia noted, was enforcing strict compliance with the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act. This involved confronting influential individuals who historically manipulated agreements to enrich a select few at the expense of genuine landowners.
He charged his successor to maintain courage and impartiality in the face of pressure.
“I urge you not to look at faces. There are powerful stakeholders who derive joy in shortchanging their people. Our duty is to protect the interests of the people and uphold the vision of Governor Francis Nwifuru,” Onyia stated.
Responding, Nkah thanked Governor Nwifuru for the appointment and pledged to consolidate the reforms initiated by his predecessor.
Nkah, who previously served as the Commissioner for Water Resources, assured stakeholders that his administration would sustain policies aimed at protecting host communities and promoting transparency in the mining sector.
He called for maximum cooperation from the ministry’s staff, promising an open-door policy to advance sustainable solid minerals development in Ebonyi State.
