Lagos warns miners against illegal operations

Lagos State government on Thursday warned miners against illegal sand mining activities along the coastlines, saying any operations that go against laid down rules would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Fashola Adeyemi Toafik, director of human resources and administration in the state ministry of energy and mineral resources, gave the warning during an on the spot assessment of some sand mining sites in the Ajah/Lekki axis of Lagos State

Toafik said the ministry was poised to ensure that miners in the state operated according to laid down regulations that would ensure sustainable development in the state, saying that to obtain this mining standard, the ministry had to continually monitor the activities of sand miners and ensure that laid down rules were followed strictly.

“In furtherance of the ministry’s mandate to ensuring a sustainable mining operation, constant monitoring and clinical review of mining methods and its impacts, taking stock of degraded area as well as putting in place a restoration plan is been done by the ministry,” he said.

According to him, “the objectives of the mining site monitoring and evaluation was also to locate and delineate the extent of land degradation at mining sites, initiate and develop land use programme for the identified area, example fish farming, agricultural cultivation, coconut plantation, landscaping.

“It is also meant to identify the derivable impact of the exercise on affected communities as well as develop mining methods and proper documentation that will ensure sustainable development.”

Sand mining sites visited are located in Oke Ogun, Araromi, Parcel B of the Lekki Free Trade zone.