Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo

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Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, on Thursday said the state would enact a law that would protect the interest of communities where mining activities are taking place in the state.
Owoeye spoke on the sideline of the plenary session held with Segilola Resource Limited, a mining company that is about to commence operation in Odo-Ijesha, Iperindo and Imogbara communities in Atakumosa East Local Government Area of Osun.
The speaker explained that the purpose of summoning the mining company was to resolve the grievances their host communities were having with them in terms of compensation for their land which had been taken over for their mining activities.
“It is one of the primary functions of the legislative arm to intervene in any activity within its jurisdiction and I want to tell the good people of the state that the existence and investment of Segilola Resource Limited is good for the state.
“When we noticed a problem between the company and their host communities, after we received a petition from the hosting communities, the house quickly intervened.
Earlier, during the plenary, Mr Austin Minegbo, the Resource Manager of Segilola Resource Limited, who led other members of his company to the assembly, told the state lawmakers that proper mining activities were yet to start, that it was site construction that is ongoing on the lands.
Minegbo explained that the survey and mapping of the area the mining operations would take place had been carried out between July 2019 and January of 2020.