Nkechinyere Ewa, Abakaliki
For decades, the story of mining in many parts of Ebonyi State was one of untapped opportunities for host communities. While the state remained richly endowed with solid minerals, the people living in the areas where these resources were extracted often had little to show for it. Community Development Agreements (CDAs) were poorly implemented, compensation was inadequate, and basic infrastructure remained elusive.
That narrative began to change when Chidi Onyia was appointed Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development in June 2023.
Tasked with implementing Governor Francis Nwifuru’s vision for the sector, Onyia inherited what he described as a ministry that had become largely inactive. Rather than focusing solely on revenue generation, he redirected attention to ensuring that the communities hosting mining activities became genuine beneficiaries of the wealth beneath their soil.
His administration strengthened the enforcement of Community Development Agreements, insisting that mining companies honour their legal obligations to host communities. It also ensured that community leaders, landowners and residents participated actively in negotiations, ending a system in which agreements were often reached with only a few individuals.
The reforms quickly began to yield results.
Across several mining communities, roads were constructed, health centres established, classroom blocks built, school laboratories equipped, electricity and water projects executed, while scholarship schemes funded by mining companies provided educational opportunities for more than 1,000 students.
According to Onyia, one of the administration’s greatest achievements was empowering host communities to understand and defend their rights.
“I can proudly tell you now that all host communities are fully aware of their rights. Through our intervention, we have made sure that no host community is shortchanged in Ebonyi,” he said during the handover ceremony to his successor.
The ministry also tackled one of the most contentious issues in the mining sector—compensation. Before the reforms, compensation payments to landowners were often minimal or paid to the wrong beneficiaries. Onyia’s administration introduced a more transparent process that recognised not only economic trees and crops but also compensation for land acquisition.
The result was unprecedented. In some communities, compensation rose from just a few million naira to hundreds of millions, while new Community Development Agreements worth billions of naira were negotiated for projects to be executed over five years.
Beyond the financial gains, the reforms fostered better relationships among mining companies, host communities and government, reducing conflicts that had previously hindered development in some mining areas.
Onyia acknowledged that enforcing compliance was not without resistance. He said the ministry had to confront powerful interests that benefited from the old system, maintaining that protecting the rights of ordinary citizens remained the guiding principle throughout his tenure.
His redeployment to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development marks the end of one chapter, but the impact of his reforms continues to resonate across Ebonyi’s mining communities. Roads, schools, health facilities, scholarships and improved compensation now stand as visible reminders of a deliberate effort to ensure that the state’s natural resources serve not only the economy but also the people whose communities host them.
As the new Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chinedu Nkah, assumes office with a promise to consolidate on the gains recorded, many stakeholders including the permanent secretary of the ministry believe the reforms initiated under Onyia have laid a stronger foundation for a mining sector where development, fairness and community participation remain at the centre of government policy.
