Lagos State government on Thursday
warned miners against illegal sand mining activities along the
coastlines, saying any operations that go against laid down rules would
be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Fashola Adeyemi Toafik, director of
human resources and administration in the state ministry of energy and
mineral resources, gave the warning during an on the spot assessment of
some sand mining sites in the Ajah/Lekki axis of Lagos State
Toafik said the ministry was poised to
ensure that miners in the state operated according to laid down
regulations that would ensure sustainable development in the state,
saying that to obtain this mining standard, the ministry had to
continually monitor the activities of sand miners and ensure that laid
down rules were followed strictly.
“In furtherance of the ministry’s
mandate to ensuring a sustainable mining operation, constant monitoring
and clinical review of mining methods and its impacts, taking stock of
degraded area as well as putting in place a restoration plan is been
done by the ministry,” he said.
According to him, “the objectives of the
mining site monitoring and evaluation was also to locate and delineate
the extent of land degradation at mining sites, initiate and develop
land use programme for the identified area, example fish farming,
agricultural cultivation, coconut plantation, landscaping.
“It is also meant to identify the
derivable impact of the exercise on affected communities as well as
develop mining methods and proper documentation that will ensure
sustainable development.”
Sand mining sites visited are located in Oke Ogun, Araromi, Parcel B of the Lekki Free Trade zone.
Joshua Bassy
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