BY EDITOR
The Ebonyi State Government has inaugurated a task force on solid minerals development as part of measures to strengthen regulation of mining activities, curb illegal operations and block revenue leakages in the sector.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Development, Chief Chinedu Nkah, who inaugurated the task force, said the team would be deployed across the three senatorial zones of the state to monitor mining and quarrying activities and ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations.
Nkah said the task force was necessary because of the strategic importance of solid minerals to the state’s economy, stressing that Ebonyi was endowed with abundant mineral resources but had yet to derive commensurate benefits from them.
According to him, “the major economy of the state is in the solid minerals, and therefore it's a sector that should be taken very seriously.”
He said the government was particularly concerned about situations where mining operators extract valuable resources, abandon excavated pits and leave communities exposed to environmental and safety hazards.
The commissioner explained that although mining licences fall under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the Federal Government, the state had a responsibility to regulate activities within its territory and ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and Community Development Agreements.
“You cannot come and say you collected licence from Abuja, therefore you do anything you like in that state. It is no longer central. So, the major essence of setting up a task force is to ensure compliance to the existing laws, regulations, and the CDAs,” Nkah stated.
He, however, warned members of the task force against abusing their positions or using the assignment to extort money from mining companies.
“We have not called you to come and make money for yourself, because if you think that mindset, you will put yourself in trouble,” he warned.
Nkah said the ministry would provide the task force with formal operational guidelines, including applicable fines and enforcement procedures, while members would undergo a one-day training involving specialists from the ministry and security agencies.
He charged the team to monitor mining companies for compliance with workers’ welfare and safety requirements, including preventing the use of children and pregnant women in prohibited mining activities.
The commissioner also directed the task force to monitor the movement of mineral-bearing trucks, particularly at night, noting that night movement of trucks and night-time crushing were prohibited under the applicable regulations.
He said the task force would also be expected to detect instances where minerals were stolen from legitimate mining companies and subsequently transported or sold illegally.
Nkah further directed members to demand evidence of revenue payments and official clearance for mineral consignments, particularly where the quantity of minerals being transported appeared to exceed the declared volume.
He said the measure was necessary to prevent government revenue from being lost through under-declaration and other forms of evasion.
The commissioner also ordered mining and quarry companies operating in the state to display appropriate signposts and provide evidence of payment of statutory revenues.
He said the government would not tolerate mining operations that failed to provide adequate safety measures or protect workers from accidents and other occupational hazards.
“Within the company's area of operation, do they apply safety measures? Are their workers well protected against accidents? These things attract fines,” Nkah said.
He emphasized that the task force would not operate independently of the ministry, noting that members must obtain appropriate directives before sealing any mining company or taking other major enforcement actions.
The commissioner also disclosed that members would be provided with official jackets, caps and identification materials to distinguish them from impostors and individuals allegedly parading themselves as officials of the Ministry of Solid Minerals.
He warned members against using their identification cards for unauthorised activities, stressing that anyone found abusing the privilege would face prosecution.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Solid Minerals Development, Chima Ude Umanta, urged members of the task force to use their identification cards responsibly.
Umanta said the government had previously issued identification cards to authorised personnel, warning that anyone who misused such identification could face serious legal consequences.
He also explained that transportation arrangements for task force operations would initially be handled on a zonal basis, with the government expected to improve logistics as the programme progresses.
Our correspondent reports that theinauguration is part of the state government's broader effort to strengthen oversight of the solid minerals sector, improve revenue mobilisation and ensure that mining activities contribute more meaningfully to the development and welfare of communities across Ebonyi State.
