Monarch, Stakeholders Seek Siting Of Gold Plant In Ijesaland
Speaking on behalf of the people, the traditional ruler of Ilesha, Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, said the community is richly endowed with mineral resources, especially gold.
According to him, experts in the sector have identified the gold in the area to be the purest in Africa.
He disclosed this while hosting members of the Ijesa Ijesa Minerals Resources Development Forum (IMRDF).
He maintained that siting the refinery is long overdue as a similar plant is in Osu, Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of Osun State.
According to him, this comes into reality, “the plant will open doors of numerous economic opportunities for the people of Ijesaland.”
He, however, urged the IMRDF to be sensitive to the situation and solicit the support of requisite bodies in its assignment.
“Just like petroleum is beneficial to Rivers State, gold mining should also be beneficial to Ijesaland because our type of gold is 98 percent purer, purer than that of South Africa.
“Gold processing has been going on in Ijesaland before now, during the time of Erelu Olusola Obada when she was Deputy Governor to Oyinlola, it was sited at Osu in Atakunmosa West Local Government, but the Federal Government decided not to cooperate with us.”
“Now that they are ready to tap into gold mining which has been going on here from time immemorial, we welcome the idea. Gold mining and processing has been going on here since the time of former President,
He however advised the traditional rulers in various communities in Ijesaland not to engage in illegal mining.
“Before you can start mining gold, there are steps to be taken. You must obtain a Federal Government license because gold mining is under the exclusive list. No state government can go and mine anything, they have no powers. We have agreed that the Federal Government has the constitutional rights on mining, but it is on our land. They have to cater for our people’s welfare too.”
The Chairman of the community based non-governmental organization, Ijesa Minerals Resources Development Forum (IMRDF)Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi told newsmen that the initiative seeks to engender opportunities for the people of the affected areas without undermining the business interests of investors.
According to him, the forum will engage stakeholders in the three main communities of Iperindo, Obara and Odo-Ijesa where the main gold mining sites of Osun are located.
The IMRDF according to Fasuyi will begin sensitization for the people of the host communities with a view to finding lasting solutions to the challenges posed by illegal mining and other sharp practices that have continued to hinder the development of the area.
“We are going to the field to engage all spheres of stakeholders in the community; religious, traditional, political leaders as well as the youths with a view to advocate their support in the cultivation of appropriate behavioral practices that come with the provision of lands for the miners and the security of their homelands.”
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