One-Month Mining Ban: Group Urges Taraba to Draft Clear Guidelines to Protect Communities.

By Jako Keke, December 19,2025.

As governments of the 19 northern states enforce a one-month suspension of mining activities to enable comprehensive safety audits, stakeholders have called on the Taraba State Government to urgently develop clear, transparent and enforceable mining guidelines to safeguard host communities and the environment.

In a press statement signed by Dr. Joseph Gimba, North-East Zonal Coordinator of the Resource Justice Network, Nigeria, said Taraba endowed with vast mineral resources but vulnerable to unregulated extraction must seize the opportunity presented by the temporary ban to put in place a robust sub-national mining framework.

The group noted that unregulated artisanal mining has continued to fuel land degradation, water pollution and communal conflicts across several local government areas in the state.

 According to the statement, clear guidelines would establish licensing standards, health and safety protocols, and benefit-sharing mechanisms that ensure communities directly benefit from mining activities.

The Network urged Taraba to align its proposed framework with best practices already adopted in Plateau State, where a mining ordinance mandates environmental impact assessments, closure plans and a revenue-sharing fund. Such measures, it said, would help Taraba attract responsible investors while avoiding the environmental and social pitfalls experienced elsewhere.

The statement further explained that the ongoing one-month federal mining suspension underscores the need for coordinated regulation across states. Developing state-specific guidelines would, it argued, make it easier for federal authorities to monitor compliance and uniformly enforce the ban.

Beyond safety and regulation, the group emphasized the economic benefits of a transparent mining regime, noting that properly managed mineral resources could be channelled into infrastructure, education and agriculture, thereby supporting economic diversification and reducing conflict.

To maximise the moratorium period, the Network outlined key steps for Taraba State, including conducting a rapid assessment of existing mining sites, engaging traditional leaders, miners’ associations and civil-society groups, and synchronising state regulations with federal standards before the ban is lifted.

It also recommended replacing the Bureau for Solid Minerals with the Taraba State Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TSEITI), in line with models adopted by Ebonyi and Plateau states, to prevent revenue losses arising from minerals being attributed to other states.

 The group further highlighted Taraba’s commitments under the Open Government Partnership, stressing that extractive transparency should drive reforms in the sector.

Environmental Impact Assessment, the statement added, should be made a compulsory prerequisite for all mining operations in the state.

“The one-month mining moratorium is a clear signal that a reactive approach to mineral extraction is no longer viable,” the statement concluded. “By proactively developing comprehensive mining guidelines, Taraba State can protect its communities, align with progressive models, and promote responsible mining practices that enhance regional security and sustainable development.”