Osun Mining License: Group Poses 4 Questions To Oyetola’s Media Aide

A  group, the Osun Democrats for Democracy (ODD) on Tuesday  supported allegations raised against the immediate past governor of Osun state, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola by the Governor Ademola Adeleke administration that mining licenses belonging to the state were maladministered on his watch.

The group in a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by  its coordinator, Mr Adeolu Adeyefa, also posed four questions to Oyetola’s media aide; Mr Ismail Omipidan.

‘To our satisfaction, Mr. Omipidan confirmed our position that his boss, Mr. Oyetola, irresponsibly attempted to transfer mining licences belonging to the state to private firms instead of renewing them for the benefit of the state.

For context, excerpt of Mr. Omipidan statement reads as follows ‘Truth is, Oyetola only sought partnerships with five firms as the terminal date of the leased mineral Licences were near so it wouldn’t revert to the FG untapped’.

 So, the question that begs for an answer from Mr. Omipidan and his boss, is what was it that stopped the State Government from pursuing their revalidation instead of trying to hand them off to private firms, who are cronies of the former Governor?

Our group has full details of sectoral outcomes of the Oyetola administration, and we can conclude that the former administration failed the people of Osun state, not only in the mining sector but across the various sectors of the society.

It is not so hard to read between the lines and come to the conclusion that Mr. Oyetola did not act in the interest of Osun State, more so when it was clear that the attempt to transfer the state’s mining assets to private firms occurred after he lost re-election bid.

If Mr. Oyetola had truly performed so well in the mining sector as Mr. Omipidan has gleefully tried to portray, the questions he should not hesitate to provide answers for Osun people are as follows:

 How come illegal mining was elevated to a state policy under Mr. Oyetola? 

How come remittances to the state government from mining activities never got to the coffers of the state government?

 How come the underground water in Ijeshaland had been polluted to the extent of exposing residents to a series of health issues with Mr. Oyetola showing no concern? 

How come, up to the time of his defeat, Oyetola made no effort to clean up the environment degraded  through the activities of miners?

A lot of other questions abound, which all pointed to the fact that Mr. Oyetola maladmnistered the Osun mineral resources sector. This is yet another mess that Governor Adeleke is working assiduously to clean up, and we want to assure Osun people that it will be done’ the group said. 

ODD also  noted that Governor Adeleke had since  received report of the solid mineral committee, and it was discovered that Osun lost several billions of naira through a  series of shady practices and gross mishandling  of the mining sector under Mr. Oyetola.

‘Consequently, the Adeleke administration has launched a tripartite approach to reposition the mining sector. First approach is the engagement with the federal authority, which has already commenced, and this will result in the revalidation of mining licences,  and a partnership with key stakeholders in respect of the cleaning up of the environment.

The second approach is the concerted efforts to stop illegal mineral mining in the state through security improvement, new solid mineral joint task force; and the engagements with mining stakeholders.

And lastly, is to ensure that Osun people truly benefit from the mining sector through new model of mining investments, direct partnership with mining companies who are operating in Osun and a new relationship with international mining companies for investment in mining sector in Osun’ the group added- Team@orientactualmags.com
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