By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State House of Assembly Committee on Solid Minerals, has appealed to the General Assembly of Ezillo Autonomous Community, Ishielu LGA to maintain calmness while the committee engages the management of Jin-Ziang Quarry Company which they accused of breaching the terms of their agreement.
The committee chairman, Mr Ifeanyi Nwakpu made the appeal at the Legislative Complex Nkaliki Road Abakaliki, when the host community and landlord of the quarry company visited to solicit help from the state lawmakers.
Mr. Nwakpu representing Ikwo North State Constituency in company of other members of the committee, including Mrs. Chinyere Nwogbaga, representing Ebonyi North East, Mr. Henry Eze of Ishielu North, and Mrs. Esther Agwu representing Ohaukwu North thanked the representatives of the community for their thoughtfulness to seek help instead of resulting to self-help which he said would have truncated the peace of the state and reassured of the determination of the committee to ensure that amicable resolution of the matter is reached in no distant time.
Earlier, the President General of Ezillo Autonomous Community, Mr. Michael Igwe-Okechi, and the Chairman Executives of Landlord Ishimkpuma Quarry Ezillo, Mr. Innocent Oje said their visit was aimed at averting possible crises that would erupt in the area if the matter remains unattended to.
The duo narrated how the Jin-Ziang Quarry Company in connivance with some members of the community deliberately robbed them of their due compensation for so long to enrich themselves. They maintained that the Community and Landlord representatives involved in the matter were all elected members and therefore deserved the right to demand full payment of royalty for the mining sites.
In a vote of thanks, a stakeholder from the community Chief Godwin Eze-Anyim thanked the Committee members on Solid Minerals for assuring them of expedient action toward the peaceful resolution of the misunderstanding and promised to remain law abiding until the matter receives a logical conclusion.
