Federal Govt To Prosecute Chinese language Miners, Others For Environmental Air pollution

Following latest complaints on the resurgence of the actions of artisanal miners in Osun State, the Nationwide Environmental Customary and Laws Enforcement Company (NESREA) has stated after its investigation, the perpetrators can have their amenities sealed and charged to court docket for environmental violation.

The director-general of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, who disclosed this at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, recalled that the company had carried out sensitisation workshops for artisanal miners drawn from totally different elements of the state, the place they had been enlightened on the consequences of their actions on human well being and the surroundings.

Jauro stated regardless of the efforts, the company was not too long ago inundated with a number of complaints on the resurgence of the actions of artisanal miners within the space elevating fears of degradation of the surroundings, destruction of farmlands and contamination of water sources particularly the Osun River.

He, nonetheless, famous that such mining actions weren’t new within the space as a result of Osun State sits on a schist belt that’s richly endowed with mineral sources like gold, tourmaline, tantalite, topaz and different gem stones and which attracts the artisanal miners.

The DG stated, “Following the latest reviews, NESREA had intensified its compliance monitoring of the affected areas which revealed a big presence of Chinese language miners, who with the help of excavators and associated tools, mine and wash the minerals alongside or near river programs.

“There was additionally excessive exercise of artisanal miners who scavenge floor minerals at deserted mine pits and wash them in close by rivers, most of which circulate into the Osun River. The river has change into extra turbid with reddish coloration from the disturbance of mining and washing into the river.

That is worrisome for the reason that cultural practices on the Osun Grove require contact with the water within the type of consuming, bathing and other people additionally use the water each day of their properties.”

He stated a full-fledged investigation has been launched and officers from the headquarters and the South West zonal workplace have been in Osun State, gathering water and soil samples which have been taken for laboratory evaluation to find out the extent of air pollution of those actions which is able to inform our enforcement choices in order to guard the lifetime of Nigerians affected by these actions.

“On the conclusion of the investigation, the provisions of the Nationwide Environmental (Mining and Processing of coal, ores and industrial minerals) Laws, 2009 and different environmental devices shall be invoked towards these concerned in unsustainable mining practices within the state. This can positively imply that perpetrators can have their amenities sealed and they’d even be charged to court docket for environmental violation,” the director basic said.