By Samuel Ogenyi/Awajionyi Gaius
Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals in Akwa Ibom, Mr Charles Udoh has said that illegal mining is constituted a threat to security of lives and critical infrastructure of the state.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Uyo yesterday, Udoh pointed out that the state government has decided to clamp down on miners and dredgers whose activities has continued to damage the environment and threatened infrastructures in the state.
The commissioner therefore warned that his administration would not sit and watch people destroy infrastructure through their illegal activities.
He lamented that those projects were built with tax payers by the state government and therefore would not allow miscreants destroy them.
“We spend a huge some of money with zero Naira from federal government in building critical infrastructures, like the bridges we have in the state and then people would want to come and collapse these infrastructures with their illegal business, I will not sit back.” Udoh said.
He advised miners in the state to endeavor to obtain their license from the Federal Government and register with his ministry for the smooth operation of their business.
“If you want to dredge in Akwa Ibom,go and get license from ministry of mining and steel, you want to enter water ways, go to Nigerian Inland Waterways, get you tax payer document, get permission from the community where you want to mine.
“Then when you finish come to me with your Memorandum of Understanding, we will both go and see the location you want to dredge or mine and I will approve it for you.” The commissioner said.
He maintained that the state is rich with natural resources which should be used in improving the economy rather than use it to destroy the economic well being of the people.
“For instance, Nsit Ibom is very rich with gravels, silica and fine sand and there have been a lot of illegal mining going on there.
“We are going to bring sanity into that place, though people can still mine but it will be controlled as they will have to go through due process.” He further said.
