Dr Olubansile Mimiko stirring up a storm at Francisca Muinat Ltd's quarry site.
NewsmakersNG/
A storm is raging at a mining and quarry site in Ondo, which has been uncovered as a secret goldmine of a former governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Rahman Mimiko and his associates.
At the center of the storm is a firm known as Francisca Muinat Limited which Mimiko invested in while he was Ondo State governor and brought in his brother, Dr Olubansile Abbas Mimiko, who was practicing as a Psychiatrist in the United States, to look after his interest in the company with Chinese, Spanish, and Nigerian shareholders.
Salaries are not being paid at Francisca Muinat Ltd and workers are dying at the site in ltale Aaye Community in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, says aggrieved employees. Landowners and residents have also decried what they described as the degradation of their community and vowed to stop further mining activities at the site.
The workers are blaming the management of the company for the death of a sick staff, Femi Adekola aka Baba Latin who was denied a N20, 000 support for hospital treatment even though his employers owe him six months’ salary.
Another staff, Mr Akinwale Akinjuwon Samson, had to engage the company in a legal battle before his one-year salary was settled after a pronouncement by Justice A.A. Adewemimo of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Akure Judicial Division.
The Judge says in his ruling: “…’a laborer is entitled to his wages’, to deny him the remuneration for services rendered by him is not only wrongful but inhuman. This Court is a court of Law and Equity. See section 14 of the National Industrial Court Act, 2006.”
NewsmakersNG learnt from lawyers representing the community leaders in Ifedore – the Olu Itale Aaye, Chief Fabiyi Adedayo and Prince Peter Adeleye that they have written the Director-General, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel in Abuja to revoke the license of Francisca Muinat Ltd over environmental degradation.
The lawyers have also written to inform the firm that its tenancy on the site would not be renewed when it expires in August.
“…It is our further brief that the company has been engaging in serious quarrying activities on the land and in the communities for a period of 6 years now. It is painful to inform you sir, that the said 6 years quarrying activities of the company had not only caused untold environmental hardship on our clients’ and Neighboring Communities, but had also almost pull down the residential buildings in the said communities,” says the petition from the lawyers at S.O. Abitogun & Co, Legal Practitioners & Consultants, on Fabonmi Street, Oshinle Quarters, Akure, the Ondo State capital.
They told how the community has been buffeted by misfortunes while the business is thriving.
In another letter written to the firm, the lawyers representing the landowners stated: “The decision not to renew (tenancy) was taken in good faith and to forestall the dire consequences of the activities of your company, which had caused untold hardship on your host and neighboring communities, of which their representatives have met with the Production Manager, severally on the said effects and consequences.”
Weeks of investigations into the activities of Francisca Muinat Ltd traced the crisis in the company to what appears as monkey business at the site being managed by Dr Olubansile Mimiko.
The company was allegedly making huge revenue until the Chinese partners, who were the geese laying the golden eggs, were dramatically kicked out of the business. The Chinese brought their equipment and built the factory with offices about 10 years ago. But, in just one day, 11 of them were arrested, handcuffed, driven to the airport, and deported to their country. Thereafter, Dr Olubansile Mimiko took charge and crisis set in.
He allegedly engaged one Biodun Ajao under whose watch as Managing Director almost half a billion naira was unaccounted for.
When contacted, a representative of the Chinese partners who were sent away described the Nigerian partners as dubious. He said, “They used our equipment for four years and are still using them. They used state machinery to drive us out, using the immigration, after we have made a success of the business.”
Investigations further revealed that the Spanish partners were also edged out after they brought in their equipment which they were forced to leave behind.
Further enquiry was stonewalled by top officials at the quarry.
One of the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the company has been owing the workers. He said that the issue was being resolved.
The disgruntled workers alleged that the directors at Francisca Muinat Ltd have been carting away money while they were not paying the staff. They also alleged that Dr Olubansile Mimiko, who could not be reached, has been channelling proceeds from the business into his private bank accounts.
But the top official refused to comment on those allegations.
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