By Patrick Ochei
Ugboba community, an agrarian locality in Aniocha North LGA of Delta State, has been provided with potable water by a coal mining company, MOSRA Energy Limited.
In a well attended commissioning ceremony on Monday 15th May, 2023, the amiable Monarch of Ugboba Kingdom, HRM Agbogidi Obi Nkebakwu Emmanuel Ezedimbu 111, appreciated MOSRA Energy for such a gesture, assuring them of the best of cooperation from the community in terms of fostering of cordial working relationship, as the mining operations continue to progress.
Obi Nkebakwu also commended the people of Ugboba for their unalloyed loyalty and support to his rulership, maintaining that the community had taken the best decision in the interest of the Energy development of Nigeria with the hope of ripple effect benefits to the community.
According to the UK trained Monarch, “I sincerely wish to appreciate MOSRA Energy for their kind gesture in ensuring that Ugboba gets potable water for drinking. This ceremony is not much but means so much to us.
“Today, we have come to witness the commissioning of the water project built for us by MOSRA Energy and also to take delivery of the two motorcycles donated to the vigilance group to advance security in the community.
“The world is today, also aware of the commencement of mining activities in Ugboba. This community has eventually etched her name in the history of mineral deposits communities contributing their own quota to the development of Energy sources in Nigeria.
“Our country Nigeria is predominantly gas producing in Energy source. Coal is one of the main sources of energy in China, ranking about 50 percent of their energy source.
“It is in our own best interest to look inward and give what we have for the Energy development of our country. We want to change the industrial sector, we want to contribute to power sector and we want to be happy as a people.
“For this, I commend Ugboba people for their understanding, and, I urge them to keep the unity of Ugboba in tact. We will definitely achieve our aim of a better Ugboba when we coexist together in peace, unity and love.
“MOSRA Energy has provided Potable Water for Ugboba people as part of their commitment in the Community Development Agreement (CDA). Ours is to remain peaceful and law-abiding as mining operations begin in earnest.
“We are delighted for what God is doing and we will not take this privileged opportunity for granted. Let me emphasise to prove naysayers wrong in their ignorant attempt to cast aspersions on the mining project.
“There is no difference in what MOSRA Energy is doing here from what Coal mining is all about in other developed climes like Germany, where 16-30 percent of their coal mining is Lignite. There is no harmful effect with regards to the ongoing Lignite Coal mining in Ugboba and other Coal deposits communities around it.
“In this kind of mining, the company is using Open Cast system to excavate. This is a method where the soil is opened in a shallow form and the Coal taken away, afterwhich the deep is covered with the same soil. We even have forest with enough capacity to curtail any environmental effects like dust. They also have equipment that wets the environment with water.
“We must realise that Energy sufficiency is the bedrock of any development. If we don’t mine, we cannot enjoy developmental infrastructures like road and electricity.
“In Nigeria as a country, we do not have diversified sources of energy. India and China have about 40 and 45 energy sources. We want to start using what God has given us to start living well. With this Lignite Coal, Ugboba will be paying her own due in developing Nigeria and helping to provide energy source for Nigeria.
“By the Paris Convention on coal mining regulations, the world is aware of the mining project in Ugboba. It is not hidden and we must do everything humanly possible to achieve success in our Energy sufficiency agenda for Nigeria, and in particular, the accruing developmental benefits to our community”, Obi Ugboba explained.
Meanwhile, the Federal Mines Officer, Delta State, representing the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Engr. Golden-Okpataku Fatima thanked the King and people of Ugboba for supporting the mining efforts of the Federal Government in the community.
Her words, “I thank God for making it possible for us to witness this laudable event. I congratulate His Royal Majesty, Obi of Ugboba for ensuring that this monumental project is taking place in his time.
“I plead with Ugboba people to continue to support the king because of his tireless effort to make this project a reality. He has a good heart towards the development of the community.
“For MOSRA Energy, please do your best to treat the community well. We will ensure that this exploration project is environmentally sustainable. The Minister is passionate about this project, he wants this particular mining experience better than what we have in Kogi State.
“Remember that Johannesburg was a community like this in time past, but today, it is a big city with enormous development that brings tourists from all over the world on vacation in the city. It is my prayer that this community will see better development for the good of the indigenes and those of her neighbouring communities”, the Federal Mines Officer stated.
Speaking on behalf of the MD of MOSRA Energy Limited, Mr. Olukayode Ramos, the Site Geologist, Mr. Ishola Emmanuel affirmed that MOSRA Energy Limited is doing its own part of the bargain to ensure that Ugboba gets her own fair share of development as a host community.
He confirmed that the company is doing various road networks towards making movements of equipment and materials easy in the community.
Speaking further, he said, “I have been on ground since 2015 when we came in here to start exploration. We have bonded with the community all these years, and they have taken time to understand our mission. Everything we told them we would do, we have been doing and there is no cause for alarm.
“We use the open cast in this mining, where we remove the overburden and cover back with the soil. We have proffered solution with the soil which is the bone of contention with some persons. We have water tankers for the wetting of the ground to mitigate the effect of dust.
“But you can attest to the fact that the environment is not harmful, that people are here working without even masking, that people are farming around and that people are going to be living around the Facility Site.
“The truth is that, Ugboba community has given us peaceful atmosphere to operate and we in turn have been reciprocating their kind gestures. It’s a win-win for all of us and there is nothing to worry about”, he concluded.
The highpoint of the ceremony was the commissioning of the water project by the Chairman of Aniocha North Local Government, Hon. Kelvin Okwechime, who was represented by the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Kennedy Okoh.
Cutting the tape, the SLG appreciated MOSRA Energy for their effort in locating the mining site for their mining operations in Ugboba.
While expressing joy over the project, Okoh affirmed that he was sure that the partnership of the mining company and that of its host coal community would lead to utilising part of the generated profit to advance development in the community.
He however, advised MOSRA Energy to ensure to productively engage not only Ugboba indigenes but Aniocha North people in their workforce.
Okoh pledged the partnership of the Local Government towards enabling the company’s mining activities to success, and at the same time, a worthwhile and profitable venture for the benefit of all parties involved.
He turned on the tap and served water to the President General of Ugboba Development Union, Mr. Nnabuife Ikechukwu and also drank; thereby sparking up an overwhelming applause and jubilation from those watching the action.
A colleague Monarch and Oloza of Ugbodu Kingdom, HRM Obi Ayo Isinyemeze who was present to witness the water project commissioning ceremony and official take-off of mining operations in Ugboba, was given the opportunity to officially commission the two motor bikes that were donated to Ugboba Vigilante Group for their use in mounting security surveillance in and around the community.
The keys to the motor bikes were handed over by Engr. Golden-Okpataku Fatima to the beneficiaries.
The atmosphere in Ugboba on Monday 15th May, 2023, was not one that required the telling of soothsayers that the people were happy, just as they sang, danced and eulogized their king to the admiration of the visitors.
