Obaseki’s closure of Obu mine site faulted
Some political and business leaders in Edo state have faulted the shutdown of Obu mine site at Okpella community in Etsako East local government by the state government, describing it as an act of impunity and disobedience to court order.
Governor Godwin Obaseki on Wednesday led security agencies and other government officials to seal Obu mine site where they arrested officials of BUA International Limited for ‘violating a stop work order by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
Reacting to the development, the state chairman of Conference of Registered Political Parties (CRPP), Samson Isibor, said the governor acted against court order.
“Competent court order supersedes the mere directive by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi on stop work order on BUA cement in the state. Government should respect the law of the land,” he said.
While calling on the governor to maintain absolute neutrality on the matter, he advised BUA to institute a legal action against the state government and security operatives who invaded the company premises and enforced the federal government directive.
On his part, the Edo/Delta chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Unuigboje Alofoje, said the association was pained by the development as the two giants involved in the disputed mine site were members of the association.
Alofoje said the matter could be settled amicably on the platform of the association.
Reacting to the criticism, the Edo State Government described the claim by BUA International Limited that it adopted a gestapo-style to forcefully shutdown Obu mine site in Okpella as ludicrous.
A statement signed yesterday by the Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said the Edo State Government’s primary duty as a responsible government was to ensure that the prevailing peace in all parts of the state was not punctured by any individual or organisation.
It added that BUA clearly flouted the stop work order but wanted to mask their violation of the order by resorting to blackmail.
