The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals has issued a stern warning to quarry operators nationwide, threatening to recommend the revocation of operational licences for companies found engaging in illegal mining activities or defying legislative oversight.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi, who represents the Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State, sounded the warning during an investigative hearing into the operations of mining firms across Nigeria.
Hon. Gbefwi singled out Arab Contractors and Omatek, ordering both firms to immediately present valid documentation authorizing their quarry operations or halt all activities without delay.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Gbefwi criticized several quarry operators for repeatedly ignoring summons from the National Assembly. He described the companies’ actions as a blatant disregard for Nigeria’s laws and a challenge to the authority of the legislature.
> “It is completely unacceptable for any company to conduct business within Nigeria while flouting established regulations and undermining legislative oversight,” the committee chairman declared.
He disclosed that a recent oversight visit by the committee to various quarry sites within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) exposed alarming irregularities, including the neglect of community development agreements and poor working conditions.
According to Gbefwi, the committee discovered that while technical staff remain on-site in Nigeria, managing directors and senior executives — many of whom are foreign nationals, particularly from China — often remain in their home countries, leaving critical responsibilities unattended.
> “We welcome and encourage foreign investment, but we will not allow host communities to be subjected to exploitation or deprived of the benefits stipulated in operational agreements,” Gbefwi affirmed.
The committee further revealed that Arab Contractors had been operating an illegal quarry site without obtaining the mandatory approvals from relevant regulatory bodies.
In a final warning, Gbefwi noted that beyond suspending the licences of defaulting firms, the committee would not hesitate to recommend full revocation of operational licences if companies fail to comply with national regulations and legislative directives.
The committee pledged to intensify its oversight of the mining sector to ensure strict adherence to environmental standards, labour laws, and community development obligations.
