EDSG Issues Stern Warning to FG Officials Involved in Illegal Mining Activities

L-R: Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Joshua Omokhodion, during an inspection tour of the borrow pit site at Obagie N’ Evbosa, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has issued a stern warning to Federal Government mining officers in Edo State who are involved in the unauthorized operations of borrow pits in the Obagie N’ Evbosa area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government.

During an inspection tour of the borrow pit site with members of the State Executive Council, Obaseki expressed shock at the extent of illegal activities occurring there.

He emphasized that the city faces significant environmental threats due to these unauthorized mining activities and declared that his administration is committed to stopping all illegal sand mining operations in the state.

He described as illegal and illicit, the activities of the borrow bit operators, assuring that his administration will do everything possible to put a stop to the acts, noting: “This people don’t care about law and order. They don’t have respect for the government. We issued a statement warning people operating the borrowed pits to desist until we agreed on the areas that can be borrowed.

“From what we have seen today, it is like these operators have no respect and they are challenging the government. Government will show its full might and force. This is threatening the environment. If we continue this way and at this rate, we will lose areas and communities. The National Transmission Company issued a warning that even transmission lines are being threatened because people are borrowing and taking sands around areas that are hosting national infrastructure.

“You can see what is going on here. This is illegal and illicit. As a government, we will do everything possible to put a stop to it. We are issuing this and sending this as a warning to the Federal mining officers in the State who permit this and give approval and authorization that we would arrest and deal with them in Edo State.

Obaseki further stated, “This is not a banana republic and we can’t just come out here to destroy our environment this way. In the next few years, people in these communities will begin to experience landslides and mudslides because of the way these mining activities are being carried out.

“This is not right. We can’t continue to do this to ourselves. Our City is under threat and this government will do all to stop all those illegally mining sands here.”