RESOURCE CONFLICTS, POWER, AND DISPOSSESSION: AN ASSESSMENT OF COAL MINING IN ANKPA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA.
Olorundare, Abraham Sunday , Agbonifo, John and David, Ele
Volume 12 Issue 3
Abstract
This study examines the relationships in power and the conflicts over resources within the mining communities in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. It specifically aims to investigate the nature of the power relations in these mining communities and the extent to which these power relations lead to conflicts and dispossession. To access the realities of the coal mining operations, the study used a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data. Primary data consisted of interviews and structured questionnaires targeting mining stakeholders, residents, community leaders, and secondary resources comprised scholarly articles, governmental documents, and press coverage. It purposively sampled participants for the interviews and questionnaires administered. It adopts the conflict theory as the theoretical framework. The study’s major finding points out the existence of a control system in coal mining operations in Ankpa whereby state and corporate players monopolise virtually all the power and control to the disadvantage of local players who lose control over the benefits of their efforts. The study concludes that only inclusive governance frameworks that integrate community participation in mining decisions and equitable distribution of benefits can result in sustainable peace and the equitable management of resources. Keywords: Power Relation, Dispossession, Resource Conflict, Resource governance and Mining Communities
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