Anambra government has paraded over 25 persons including drivers, loaders and site owners for engaging in illegal mining activities in the state.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
the suspects were paraded at the headquarters of Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade in Awka.
Parading the suspects, the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Comrade Celestine Anere said that there is no going back on the ban on illegal mining in the state.
Anere said the ban is a critical way of mitigating the increasing number of erosion sites in the state which is caused by environmental degradation.
He revealed that the suspects were apprehended at Bridge Head, Onitsha and Ogbaru axis after which the sites were sealed off from all kinds of sand mining activities as they have to obtain their environmental impact assessment, EIA certifications and other operational permits by the state government.
According to the OCHA Brigade boss, the suspects were arrested at different mining sites during their regular enforcement drive and will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Some of the interviewed suspects including a site owner, Christopher Obodo, Sales manager, Miss. Chioma Favour, Mr. Okwudili Obichukwu and Abuchi Eneh claimed ignorance to the mining ban by state government and pleaded for forgiveness to enable them turn a new leaf, while apologising to the state government about the actions and inactions that one way has affected the state in general..
ANN recall that Anambra State Government since last year banned illegal sand mining activities in the state to reduce the spread of gully erosions in the state.
