Imo State Ministry Of Industry , Mines And Solid Minerals Holds Stakeholders Workshop …As Commissioner Jerry Egemba Admonishes Miners, Tipper Drivers

Imo State Ministry Of Industry , Mines And Solid Minerals Holds Stakeholders Workshop

…As Commissioner Jerry Egemba Admonishes Miners, Tipper Drivers

By Amaechi Chidinma

The Ministry Of Industry , Mines and Solid Minerals over the weekend held a one day Stakeholders Workshop to chart a way forward for the mining industry.

The well attended event themed: Enhancing Sustainable Mining Practices in Imo State For Environmental Safety and Uptimum Government Revenue yield” witnessed the presence of Miners ,Tipper Drivers an other critical Stakeholders in the mining sector.

In his address the Imo state Commissioner for Industry,, Mines and Solid Minerals Hon. Jerry Egbule Egemba maintained that mining has continued to play a vital role in the economic history of Imo state and the nation at large , he noted that the mining industry remain one of the most strategic pathways to primary economic diversification in Nigeria with the solid Mineral Sector emerging as a viable driver for industrial growth , Job creation and Internally Generated Revenue.

Hon. Egemba enjoined citizens to collectively protect their naturally endowed resources.

He revealed that Imo state is richly blessed with harnessible natural resources like Kaolin, Marble , Gypsum, limestone, lead, Zinc, Iron Ore and others too numerous to mention , spread accross the 27 LGAs of the state.

Hon. Egemba who is very conscious of the environment , seized the platform to reiterate on the dangers of the activities of Miners , he said unregulated dredging and sand excavations has contributed significantly to erosion, water pollution and land degredation., He added that the Nworie and Otanmiri river corridor has been posed to ecological threat as a result of illegal mining activities.

He reminded citizens that the Imo state government has earlier took a decisive action to ban Mining activities within the state capital territory.

Hon . Egemba acknowledge that the Imo state Government under the watch of Governor Hope Uzodimma is committed to transform the Mining sector and turn environmental harmful activities into a structured revenue generating and eco friendly sector viz: creating an avenue for a strong regulatory enforcement, environmental protection Revenue Optimization , Community engagement , relocating to economic safe zone and other Modalities geared toward protecting the environment.

Hon. Egemba emphasized that the stakeholders workshop with go along way to improve service delivery in the mining sector .

He encouraged the Miners to have well documented papes for them to operate.

In his remarks the chairman of Tipper Drivers association in Imo state , Comr .Chinedu Richard commended the gathering , he thanked Governor Hope Uzodimma for providing good roads , he expressed dismay that tipper Drivers do legitimate work but end up in prison in some cases , in his words” some security agents will come with allegations and arrest the Driver “, he stressed on the need to properly inform tipper Drivers on latest development in the dump sites they are operating .

Comr.Chinedu said “no single tyre is less than 350,000, police will come and confisticate our vehicles destroy tyres and arrest our Drivers , and any person that ask for the Driver will also be arrested “, he submitted.

He said some vehicle are on hire purchase when a case where the Driver is arrested the account will be running.

Mines Environmental Compliance officer Mr Uguru Chibueze Wilson disclosed certain issues that usually come up in the sector he said

” their problem is agreement issues

there is need for serious engagement between the regulatory Bodies, , somebody will shut down and the neighbour will celebrate , it is time for Miners to rise up and take their fate in their own hands” he said.

In furtherance , the chairman of Miners Association Imo state branch , Prince Ugochukwu Onyenwenwa prayed that the stakesholders meeting will be a continuum,he exposed some challenges been faced by Miners , Mr.Onyenwenwa said

” This program will also go a long way to help Miners we have some lapses , challenges and lack of organisational procedures we are faced with ,If a site goes against the rules there is a process , there are agencies assigned to mining sites but if they deviate from their job by going against their assigned duties the center cannot hold and things will fall apart, the Government is our problem” Mr.Onyenwenwa said.

Continuing , Chairman of Miners in Isiala/ Ehime Mbano Local Government Area Comr.Iwuji Innocent Chukwuezi described the meeting as apt and timely, he thumbed up for Hon.Egemba for his doggedness in making sure sanity return to to mining sector, he Said if the delibrations are put into practice it will go along way in solving the challenges faced by Miners and sanitize the minning sector in Imo state.

The climax of the event is discussion by Resource persons, questions and answer session and behivees of other activities