FG moves to save water bodies from illegal mining activities in FCT

The Federal Government says it is articulating strategies to mining activities to save groundwater bodies supplying potable water to residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu said the government has been notified of the activities of gold miners in Kutasa community of Karshi area council and making efforts aimed at safeguarding the health of Nigerians and prevent Nigeria’s groundwater from further contamination.

Adamu explained that upon receiving the reports of the mining activity in that area, he had directed that the Nigeria Water Integrated Management Commission (NWIMC) visit Kutasa community, and carry out an investigation.

The outcome of the investigation, he said, revealed that gold mining activities was taking place in that community which indicates “a red flag to us that must not be allowed to fly further.”

In a communique issued by the Director of the press in the ministry, Kenn Offie Wednesday in Abuja, Adamu in a meeting with the FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello, said the meeting was a follow up to a video that went viral on various social media platforms decrying the mining of ‘Gold’ taking place in Kutasa community, under Karshi in Municipal Area Council and causing contamination and pollution to the water source for the area as well as causing environmental degradation.

Adamu, therefore, reiterated that the federal ministry of water resources will not allow the experience of Niger state where people died of lead poisoning to repeat itself in the FCT.

Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Musa Bello said the company undertaking the mining was not granted a lease to mine gold in that Community. The action of the company he said is against existing mining policy.

Bello also lamented that Jabi Lake is getting contaminated as a result of human activities and population growth around the area while other bodies in the FCT such as Lower Usuma is equally getting undesirable debris as a result of increased human activities. He called for proactive measures to save the two water bodies.

He also said the FCT is set to commence the construction of public toilets in all public facilities to complement efforts of the government to carry out Executive Order 009 and to end open defecation in the country.