Date: 2017-06-12

The Kwara State Government and an indigenous mining company, Victory Crown Associates (VCA), are at loggerheads over the fate of a mining licence, 23572EL, granted by the Federal Government for the exploration of tantalite in Siringwaria village, Kaima Local Government Area of the state. The licence was approved for VCA on December 16, 2016 to expire on December 15, 2019.

While the firm is insisting its licence has not been revoked by the Federal Government and thus remains valid, the state government is claiming that it has revoked the licence through the withdrawal of the community consent earlier granted the investor over the mining site.

Company Secretary and legal counsel to the firm, Bashir Oladipo told newsmen at the weekend that one Yomi Johnson, allegedly acting on behalf of the state government as a tax consultant has already taken over the site. He was alleged to have been contracted by the state's internal revenue agency, KWIRS.

But the state government claimed that it has taken over the site because the firm has been 'oppressive' and allegedly failed to perform its expected social responsibilities to its host community. A letter from the commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Alhaji Funmilayo Oniwa, addressed to the traditional ruler of the community also claimed that the firm had failed to pay taxes and royalties to the government.

"This position is unacceptable, hence the approval by Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed for the takeover of the site in overriding public interest and thereby lay the basis for government control of the site through legally acquiring it for the benefit of the people in the area and government of Kwara state," the letter, dated February 8, 2017, read in part.

The commissioner also announced the appointment of one PAT-KAY Revenue Consultant to continue to operate in the area to generate revenue for government while asking the traditional ruler to revoke his earlier consent for Victory Crown Associates Limited.