100 illegal miners arrested in Plateau

Permanent Secretary of the Plateau State Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Mineral Development, Mr. Yabilsu Dogo, has disclosed that 100 illegal miners have been arrested in Jos in the past week.
    
Dogo made this known in his office, saying that the ministry has been collaborating with the police to stop the illegal activities. He praised the police for a job well done.
    
He said illegal mining has continued to pose serious threats to both human settlements and the environment in the state, adding that one major immediate danger of illegal mining is land degradation as illegal miners dig indiscriminately, creating deep pits and tunnels that weaken the soil structure.

According to him, “You know that over time, this would lead to increased incidents of land subsidence and sink holes, making the ground unstable for building roads and other infrastructure.

“We had building collapses in Jos last year, illegal mining compromising the integrity of buildings making them susceptible to collapse, especially during heavy rains.”

Dogo said that most times, the illegal miners were buried in the holes and many had lost their lives in the process.

The permanent secretary said government revenues were lost due to unregulated mineral lost due to unregulated mineral extraction, depriving the state of funds that could have been used for development.

He, however, said that to mitigate the effects, the Plateau State Government has strengthened enforcement measures to promote sustainable mining practices.

According to him, plans are in place to create awareness about the dangers of illegal mining and provide alternative livelihoods for illegal miners.