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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals has issued a tough ultimatum to quarry companies operating within Nigeria, cautioning that it may push for the cancellation of licenses belonging to firms that breach regulatory guidelines or ignore legislative invitations.
The Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, who represents the Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency, gave the warning during a fact-finding hearing aimed at reviewing the activities of mining companies across the country.
Gbefwi called out companies like Arab Contractors and Omatek, instructing them to provide all required documents validating their quarrying activities or shut down operations immediately.
The lawmaker from Nasarawa State expressed frustration at the widespread refusal of many quarry operators to honor the Committee’s invitations, labeling such conduct as a direct affront to Nigerian statutes and a disregard for legislative authority.
“It is unacceptable for any company to conduct business in Nigeria while openly violating our laws and avoiding scrutiny from oversight bodies,” Gbefwi stated.
He noted that during the Committee’s on-site visits to several quarry sites within the Federal Capital Territory, a significant number of firms had failed to fulfill their obligations to host communities, particularly in terms of community development projects.
He further observed that many companies had only deployed technical personnel within Nigeria, while senior management, often foreign nationals, notably from China, remained absent from the country.
“Although we are open to foreign investments,” Gbefwi said, “we cannot overlook the marginalization of local communities who are deprived of agreed benefits.”
According to him, the Committee uncovered that Arab Contractors had been running quarrying operations without proper authorization from relevant regulatory bodies.
Gbefwi stressed that the Committee is prepared to recommend not just the suspension of licenses for defaulters, but, where appropriate, a total revocation of such licenses.