By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent
Following the negative impacts resulting from mining activities by artisanal and industrial miners, the Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Bassey Edet Otu has directed the immediate withdrawal of all miners and quarries from sites within the State.
He gave the directives in a press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Owan-Enoh in Calabar.
Otu called for inspection to the sites through the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Cross River State Ministry of Minerals Resources.
The Governor affirmed that only sites certified by the joint team of federal and state officials shall be allowed to reopen.
The release reads “Disturbed by the unwholesome practices of artisanal and industrial miners, His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, in exercise of inherent powers vested in him under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, has directed the withdrawal of all miners from their sites and quarries within the State immediately.
“The Governor has further directed the State Office of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Cross River State Ministry of Mineral Resources to undertake inspection of all mining locations and quarries in the State, to determine full compliance with extant Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) standards by miners and quarries. Only sites and facilities certified by the joint team of Federal and State officials shall be allowed to reopen and continue mining activities.
“Affected players in the Mining Sector are therefore to report to the Ministry of Mineral Resources for further guidance.”
Similarly, the State Government said the continuous refusal and neglect to keep to the terms stipulated by Government for the felling of trees in the State, logging activities have been suspended.
Security agencies are to arrest offenders and confiscate any logs and machinery deployed in illegal logging, the directive says.
“Players in the timber logging trade are to contact the State Forestry Commission for further guidance.”
Leave feedback about this