…plea on Soludo to put a stop to the destructive illegal activities of the sand miners
The traditional ruler of Mkpunando Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area, Igwe Johnson Onyeaka-Mbanefo has decried the illegal and destructive activities of sand miners dredging sand at Agbanabo Ezu Na Omabala River bank.
Igwe Onyeaka-Mbanefo who is the Deputy Chairman, Anambra North Traditional Rulers Council described the activities of the miners illegal and expressed that no Environmental Impact Accessment, EIA was conducted before the mining commenced.
Speaking to journalists during the inspection, the Monarch maintained that the illegal activities has led to road collapse in three communities of Enugwu Otu Aguleri.
Worried by the activities of Land miners, the traditional ruler, during the tour from
the Odene -Agbanobo Ezu na Omabala river banks down to Eziagulu-Otu axis, stated that the environment threat of the miners who are under the umbrella of Odene Agbanabo Aguleri Sand Miners Association is becoming worrisome.
“The three Aguleri coastal communities: Eziagulu Otu, Enugwu -Otu and Mkpunando Aguleri are agrarian who are threatened by flood, thus an unbridled environmental activity will cause more harm to the communities.
He lamented that the miners are beginning to encroach on the nearby roads and farmlands, stating that the threatened road also leads to oil producing communities where the oil well and Orient Petroleum Resources Refinery are located.
The monarch recalled that members of the affected communities had protested against the unwholesome activities of the sand miners three years ago and a committee was set up to look into the complaints, after which it issued guidelines including provision of 100 metres distance between the road and the river bank but said that the guidelines are not being adhered to by the miners.
Igwe Onyeaka-Mbanefo, thereby, made a passionate plea on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to put a stop to the destructive illegal activities of the sand miners until every effort is made to ensure that the EIA is conducted and stipulated guidelines are followed.
