The Akwa Ibom State government moves to protect and provide a sustainable environment for the present and future generations.
The State government on Monday through the Ministry of Environment released conditions that all sand dredging and mining operators must follow to qualify for such operations in the State.
According to the release signed by Mr. Charles Udoh, the honourable commissioner for Ministry of Environment states that illegal sand dredging and gravel mining operations threaten environmental sustainability in the State.
The ministry raised concerns that “...state infrastructure and assets are currently being threatened, several communities have lost their sources of natural drinking water, farmlands are being devastated with an attendant loss of revenue”.
Early this month, three illegal miners were arrested by Enforcement Team of the ministry which Mr. Udoh confirmed has no form of documentation nor license for a mining operation in the state.
He says, “the activities of illegal miners are very disheartening in our State. Last week, the Enforcement Team of the Ministry of Environment arrested three of them and they are now in police custody. None of these three has any form of documentation, license or any form of environmental impact assessment plan...”.
Dr. Solomon Etuk, the Oku Ibom Ibibio and chairman, Council of Chiefs who double as the paramount ruler of Nsit Ibom also expressed concerns on environmental safety and plead with Mr. Udoh in his Palace during an on the spot inspection of an illegal mining site in the local government area, January 28, to ensure that ecology in the state is salvaged.
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