By joshua 
An Environmental Activist, Tsema Yvonne Ede has advocated that people, communities, and the environment should be at the centre of negotiations and participations during Community Development Agreements and Environmental Social Impact Assessments as it affects Mining Communities in Nigeria.
Tsema.
Tsema Yvonne Ede, identified gender based and violence against persons with disabilities as most common with mining population, reason why during CDAs, the interest of the people and lasting legacies should be the priorities.
Cross Section of Participants.
Tsema Yvonne Ede, Henrich Boll Foundation, Nigeria, identified the challenge in her presentation, Negotiating Community Development Agreements and Participating in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, lamented a situation where the vulnerable groups are not part of community development agreements.
Tsema made the case for the vulnerable groups to be part of CD and CDAs at a 3 day training for critical stakeholders of Mining Host communities organized by Global Rights on Fiscal Governance for solid Minerals in Nigeria for Members of the Federation.
The facilitator described Community Development and Community Development Agreements as a process where host community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.
The session by Tsema Yvonne Ede, which aimed at enhancing the capacity of participants at the training on how communities can provide consent, negotiate community development agreements and participate in environmental and social impact assessment, said the CDA provides a means of strengthening and enhancing mutually beneficial relationship among the government, mining companies and host communities.
While pointing out the benefits of CDAs if effectively implemented creates peaceful coexistence, avoid mistrust and uncertainty, Tsema noted that it helps meet the expectations from government, mining companies throughput the lifeline of the mining projects.
She added that the need for a social license as a commitment not contract, insist on environmental impact assessment, environmental protection and rehabilitation as well as allow for social inclusion.
She urged that people, communities, and the environment should be at the centre of negotiations and participations during Community Development Agreements and Environmental Social Impact Assessments.