Nigeria’s ecosystem suffers strains of illegal mining: Govt must be deliberate for clampdown

The mining sector in Nigeria, rather than forming a formidable force for economic strength which it has the potential to drive, has become an endangered specie with the scourge of illegal ventures which have entangled the sector.

It is apparent that the sector remains one of Nigeria’s worse affected sector, clustered by leakages of illegal operations. The architecture to infuse sanity into the sector has not so far yielded good results. As alleged, it is apparent the assertion that the illegal activities in the sector have underground formality of the backing of persons within the corridor of power in the Country, may not be disputable. Just as it is said of the phenomenon of oil theft in the Country, the unabated spread of flagrant operations of illegal mining  may not be unconnected with subterranean backing of Nigerians in place of state power: Hence, the frustration of any architecture that may be presumed to be set in place to bring sanity into the sector.

Unravelling how foreigners arrived at mining sites without statutory licences evokes questions as to whose order, directive, or instruction are they operating on? Although, the arrest of some foreigners have been made known overtime, the revelations of the link that brought them on board, have been swept into the carpet. The investigations from arrests of culprits working indiscriminately on several mining sites across the Country have been held back from public knowledge, the financiers and those on whose directive they are working.

The fact that resources meant for the common good of the nation is narrowed illegally into the pocket of a few individuals to the detriment of the greatest number, is criminal. The deep seated nature of the phenomenon is apparently worrisome at a time when the country is suffering from revenue shortfalls. Far from the revenue-economic short-change, the environmental impacts of illegal mining are known to pose threats to the ecosystem.

Recently, Thursday 25th August, 2022, the Federal Government had again expressed worries over illegal mining activities in the Country, reiterating it will prosecute defaulters who fail to comply with extant environmental laws. The Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, while briefing newsmen on the agency‘s activities in Abuja, had said the agency had recently been inundated with several complaints on the resurgence of the activities of artisanal miners in the Country. According to NESREA DG, situation had raised fears of degradation of the environment, destruction of farmlands and contamination of water sources, especially the Osun River. Such mining activities, he noted, were not new in the area because the State is sited on a schist-belt that is richly endowed with mineral resources such as gold, tourmaline, tantalite, among others.

“The river is a key source of water for humans, plants and animals within the area, and it has international interest because it passes through the Osun-Osogbo sacred grove. The area is designated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. Indeed, the river is reputed for its cultural, religious and economic significance,’’ he had said.

The NESREA DG who said that the agency had carried out sensitisation workshops for artisanal miners drawn from different parts of the State, said the miners were enlightened on the effects of the activities on human health and environment and were encouraged to carry out their activities in a saner environmentally  manner.

“According to him, following the recent reports, the agency has intensified its compliance monitoring of the affected areas which revealed a large presence of Chinese miners. The Chinese miners with the aid of excavators and related equipment, mine and wash the minerals along or close to river courses. There is also high activity of artisanal miners who scavenge surface minerals at abandoned mine pits and wash them in nearby rivers, most of which flow into the river. The river has become more turbid with reddish coloration from the disturbance of mining and washing into the rivers,’’ he had said.

According to the DG, the situation was worrisome since the cultural practices at the Osun grove required contact with the water and people also use the water daily in their homes. He had said that the agency had conducted investigation which the water and soil were collected for laboratory analysis to determine the level of pollution of the activities.

“When the investigation is concluded, the provisions of the National Environmental Mining and Processing of coal, ores and industrial minerals Regulations, 2009 will be invoked against those involved in the activities.This will definitely mean that perpetrators will have their facilities sealed and they will be charged to court for environmental violation. As citizens, we have very important roles to play in protecting the environment and the agency continually educates Nigerians on the agency’s roles and responsibilities,” he had said.

More recently, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) harping on the economic impacts of illegal mining, said the governments, especially States have been getting a ridiculous low revenue from the mining sector, rather than what was expected. The member representing Osun State at the Commission, Mr Oladele Gboyega, during a visit to the State’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, in Osogbo, while the team was in Osun for the second phase of the nationwide monitoring of revenue collections, and to also observe mining activities across the state, frowned at the level of land degradation going on in mining sites across the State, stating there was an urgent need for sensitisation of the miners.

“We have identified the problem that we are not communicating with ourselves. The state is not communicating with the federal agency, the federal is not communicating with the state. So, now we are coming together to fashion out blueprint that will drive the process to ensure that we sanitise the mining activities. We are having clarity as to what we need to do to ensure that the revenue flows to that sector, at least, get to the federation account and it is enhanced. Currently, we are running at a very low, as if the state is not actually benefitting anything from the system now. So, we need to up that system to ensure that the maximum value for having resources at their disposal gets to them and that is what we are doing now,” Gboyega, who was received on behalf of the commissioner by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mineral Resources, Wahab Oyeniyi, was quoted.

Illegal mining has shown its negativities from all ends. Its impacts have not restricted its grip on the economy by short changing revenues meant for the general good, cornered by mischievous individuals, but also, its impacts on the environment pose serious threats to the ecosystem and by extension, Nigerians who are affected by these strains. It is pertinent for the Government to become true and sincere to prosecute a genuine fight against the phenomenon. Creating virile structures, while strengthening existing ones, to exterminate the wings of illegal mining in all the dimensions of its operations is pertinent, not only for economic good, but also for environmental preservation.