Imo Communities Going Extinct As Illegal Sand Mining/Dredging Activities Resurfaces

🟢 Imo communities have charged the commissioner for mining and natural resources, Barr Ernest Ibejiakor to rise up to his mining responsibility and shutdown illegal sand mining sites across community streams and rivers.

Several communities in Imo State Nigeria have been marked red , about going extinction or be cut-off from the state grid following illegal sand dredging activities going on in several streams in the state.

Communities like Ihiagwa, Nekede, Obinze, Owerri and its environs are seriously affected by the adverse effects of illegal mining and dredging of sands on regular basis.

When contacted, majority of these dredgers accused government of running shady deals and backdoor transactions with dredgers across Imo communities.

Also alleged in this shady deals was the ministry of mining and natural resources in whose jurisdiction falls the monitoring and approval of all the miners and sand dredgers practicing in Imo state.

9News Nigeria authoritatively reports the persistent adverse effects of this illegal sand mining activities going on in several Imo communities as disastrous and an abuse of natural habitation of both marine animals, farmers in the area and affected communities whose roads were destroyed and about to cut-off from state grid.

In some communities visited, many families claimed the ownership of the river lands and vowed against its management by government. Some other communities are crying profusely on the damaged condition of farms lands and public roads within the dredging communities.

Community leaders who spoke with Newsmen across dredging sites visited this Tuesday morning 5th November, 2024, decried the over zealousness of sand dredgers and tipper drivers in the area neglecting civil obligations and deserving contributions to maintain these roads where they shuttle for daily businesses and had remained adamant of the huge damaged attracted to the farmers and the people of the communities.

Community leaders who took newsmen round the sites where the illegal mining activities are going on are calling on the state government to stop such a business.

Accordingly, ” mining of sands and gravels in community streams have caused more damage than developing their area. The people are pleading with the Hope Uzodinma’s administration to stop further sand dredging activities across community streams and rivers.

Professional researchers said , “Imo communities will soon be cut-off from natural habitation , intra state communication and business grids because of illegal and unapproved dredging and mining of sand activities and its shady deals going viral at many dredging locations.

Our reporters delved into investigation to unravel looming dangers emanating from unauthorized sand mining and illegal dredging activities going-on in Imo communities which has indicated looming disaster and high rate of upsurge that will hit the state uncontrollably.

The 3R shared prosperity administration led by a listening Governor Hope Uzodinma can sanction further mining activities going on in all the communities henceforth.

Government is by this notice called to swing immediate intervention to stop unauthorized sand, laterite and gravel miners cum dredgers from further shady businesses going on across Imo communities.

Groups of concerned leaders at various affected communities have called on the state mining ministry through the commissioner and its affiliate agencies to save the people from devastating effects bedeviling unauthorized mining and sand dredging activities.

Speaking further with newsmen at various river dredging and mining sites visited , owners of dredging machines and many tipper drivers have also expressed bitterness against the increase of state government interests in sand and gravel mining business.

The groups called for proper certification of operators and regulation to check undue bastardization of mining activities in Imo state.

Accordingly, ” The disaster is too much because there is no control of operation and because of the free-to-air business opportunity on sand dredging and tipper business in Imo, many people have joined the deal to rub our daily earnings in the name of government IGR.

“The dangers accrued to sand mining in communities are much on any environment and the area of mining is no doubt in danger.

“And again Sir, News Editor, if we negotiate with communities to bring in our dredging machines and equipments for business and settle them on bulk pay pending our negotiation with the families that claimed ownership of the river land, then the accrued disaster have to be contained and shared by both parties.

“It is unfortunate that mining will still continue even though government stops it because sand and gravel are everyday necessities for building and we make good money from the business too.

When asked, the next line of action if sand mining and dredging is stopped across communities by government, “We will locate another areas and continue with the business. Such stoppage will also automatically increase the price of products, dredgers hinted.

However, government powers expresses itself in legislation, administration and judicial decision and it is of prime importance to the theory of the organization of government to determine immediately intervention to control sand/gravel dredging cum mining activities in Imo communities.

Even, the red laterite type of sand is being excavated carelessly in various bushes and forests without due consultation and approval of government. This therefore seem to be laxity and insensitive of the managers of such business and certain agencies of government in the mining sector for not understanding the looming dangers of illegal mining and dredging activities rampantly practiced across Imo communities.

Recall that red laterite samples of sand dug from community bushes and farmlands and forests across IMO communities are residual products of rock decay that is red in color and has a high content in the oxides of iron and hydroxide of aluminum as research stated. On this therefore, regulations are to be imposed on mining activities across Imo communities to check breakage of upsurge and other looming disasters.

-Princely Onyenwe reporting

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