FG sanctions 4 mining firms for violating environment laws

THE Federal Government on Wednesday said it had sanctioned four mining companies operating in Kogi for violating environmental laws.

Mr Salim Adegboyega, the Acting Director of Mines Environmental and Compliance Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said the companies were sanctioned for failing to have requisite environmental documents such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Community Development Agreement (CDA) and Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Programme (EPRP).

Adegboyega said the law had stipulated that it was mandatory for mining companies operating in Nigeria to submit the said documents before commencing operation.

He said the ministry would not renew licences of the affected companies, adding that it would not also allow them to transfer their licences to another holder.

Adegboyega said the ministry had written to more than 300 mining companies across the country to produce their requisite environmental documents, warning that failure to produce the requirement would result to sanctions.

He said 14 of the of the 101 mining companies that could not comply with the laws were sanctioned last year.

The acting director said the affected companies were located in Ogun, FCT, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kogi, Ondo and Edo.

He said the ministry would train its staff on the use the new environmental equipment to carry out routine monitoring and site inspections.

Adegboyega said the equipment would record environmental data in the field as well as indicate if there was increase in PH value (acidic) or a reduction in PH value (Alkalinity) either in water or soil.

The acting director said the equipment would assist in conducting analysis and testing of water and air quality in the environment.

He said the equipment would also ascertain the situation in the field to enable them compare the baseline studies through the Environment Impact Assessment.

Adegboyega said government would carry out baseline studies of the heavy metal contaminated sites across the country to avoid re-occurrence of lead poison in Zamfara. 

“We don’t have to wait for similar re-occurring of lead poison. We will go round the country to document areas having heavy metal productions like lead and gold, among others,’’ he said.

He said the documentation of the affected areas would enable government know the impact of heavy metals inn the communities and urged miners to comply with environmental requirement to ensure safety. (NAN)