Fayemi, BUA disagree over alleged illegal mining activities

Contrary to the allegation leveled against BUA Group by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development over its cement firm’s illegal mining activities in Okene, Kogi State, the conglomerate has cleared the air that it does not own the facility and that the ministry’s claim is mere insinuation.
The Group Head, Corporate Communications, BUA Group, Mr. O’tega Ogra, said, “For the avoidance of doubt, BUA, as a law abiding entity, restricts its Obu Cement operations to mining areas covered by ML18912 and ML18913 and located in Obu Okpella, Etsako LG, Edo State.
“We do not have any mining activities which is specifically in Okene, Kogi State as the ministry insinuated and as stated in the ML2541 lease given by the ministry to a competitor.”
However, the Ministry of Mines and Steel had described a publication of the firm tagged, “A cry for Help: Wanton Abuse of Power By a Serving Minister Geared at Sabotaging Operations of BUA Cement”, signed by the Executive Chairman, BUA Group, Mr. Abdulsamad Rabiu,
as misleading.
According to the Ministry, the move of the company, which is unwarranted campaign of calumny against the Ministry and the office of the Minister, is nothing but an attempt by the cement company to blackmail the Ministry into granting a free pass for illegal operations.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Abass, said, “While the Ministry does not intend to join issues with the BUA Group, which has an enviable history of industrial performance, we deem it appropriate to state the facts for the purpose of enlightening members of the public.
“In the records of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, the BUA Group does not have a mining lease over the contentious site No. 2541ML. Therefore, its mining activities there are illegal.
“The Ministry had earlier in 2015 issued a Stop Work Order on this same disputed site but the BUA Group disregarded the order and went ahead with its illegal mining activities, under heavy cover of armed soldiers, policemen and men of the Civil Defence Corps,” he said.
He added that while BUA Group in its publication admitted the fact that a suit over the ownership of the site was pending in a court of competent jurisdiction, the Group, however continued with its illegal mining activities on the site, which in itself is subjudice to both the court and the Mining Act 2007, which guides mining activities in the country.