Gov. Okowa's aide, Ozobo blasts Buhari over illegal Zamfara 5billion gold deals

Gov. Okowa's aide, Ozobo blasts Buhari over illegal Zamfara 5billion gold deals

The Special assistant to the governor of Delta State, His Excellency senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on political matters, Comrade Ozobo Austin has said that president Muhammadu Buhari now lacks power to proscribed artisanal refineries in Niger Delta region for supporting and endorsing illegal gold mining in Zamfara and Kebbi states.

Ozobo added in a press statement that the Federal government open endorsement on the Zamfara illegal gold mining had automatically legalized Niger Delta artisanal refineries. 

Comrade Ozobo who is also a foremost Niger Delta Agitator asserted that the Federal government who now ordered CBN to buy 5billion gold from Zamfara government, despite the prohibiting laws of state control of solid mineral resources, does not had power to declared Niger Delta artisanal refineries illegal.

The activist said the Federal government had unlawfully launched the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI) in Zamfara and Kebbi states which is a comprehensive artisanal and small-scale gold mining development programme, initiated in 2019 to foster the formalisation and integration of artisanal gold mining activities into Nigeria’s legal, economic, and institutional framework.

Ozobo said Niger Delta artisanal oil refineries operators need same presidential artisanal oil refineries development initiative, PAORDI, as a comprehensive artisanal and small scale oil refining development programme if Buhari is not biased.

He further posited that the Federal government, in collaboration with the Kebbi State Government had already inaugurated the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining and Biometric Data Capture and Enrolment Exercise in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi in February this year.

The statement reads in part: "it should be noted that Federal government of Nigeria has loss power to proscribe Artisanal refinery operation in Niger Delta, so long the Federal government does not see anything wrong with illegal gold mining in Zamfara state"

"I made it clear in my recent interview with ActionAid international, an international organization, when its coordinator and other team members visited me in Warri during the weekend, While discussing other sundry issues, I draw my inference from Zamfara illegal gold deals by the Federal government"

"The Federal government action on the Zamfara illegal gold mining has automatically legalized Niger Delta artisanal refineries. The Federal government who now ordered CBN to buy 5billion gold from Zamfara government, despite the prohibiting laws of state control of solid mineral resources, do not has power to declare Niger Delta artisanal refineries illegal"

"There is truly a saying that he that comes to equity must come with a clean hands. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. I told ActionAid international that my people will resisted further attacks on our local oil refineries, except the Federal government do the needful by clamping down on  Zamfara illegal gold dealers,  makes Zamfara gold a national cake and the proceeds shared among all federating states in the country"

"I told ActionAid international that our oil is no longer for all, if Zamfara gold is not for all. This is injustice of the highest order, and would be further resisted with all vehements"

"It should be noted again that since the military and the sectional government of Nigeria federation are okay with the illegal gold mining activities in Zamfara state, my people in Niger Delta should be equally allowed to go into local refining of crude oil without molestation"

"Therefore, I call on Niger Delta governors, lawmakers and youth elites to support this campaign and demand for Niger Delta States control of state resources and continued to resist further destruction of local refineries in Niger Delta by the Federal government"