NSCDC, Ankpa Traditional Council Partner to Tackle Illegal Coal Mining in Kogi
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals and the Ankpa Traditional Council have agreed to strengthen collaboration to eliminate illegal coal mining and promote lawful mining operations in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The partnership was sealed during a courtesy visit by the Commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, to the palace of the Ejeh of Ankpa and Chairman of the Ankpa Traditional Council, Alhaji Abubakar Yakubu Ahmed.
During the meeting, Attah conveyed the goodwill of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, urging residents to engage only with duly licensed mining companies.
He called on host communities to support the Federal Government’s efforts to sanitise the mining sector by reporting licensed operators that fail to comply with their Community Development Agreements (CDAs), assuring them that such complaints would be addressed promptly by relevant authorities.
The Mining Marshals commander said Ankpa’s abundant coal deposits and other mineral resources should serve as catalysts for economic development rather than contribute to environmental degradation, insecurity and the loss of lives.
He warned that following the engagement with the traditional council, anyone found engaging in illegal mining would face prosecution in accordance with the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act.
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“The mineral resources with which Ankpa has been blessed should not become a curse to the people. Anyone who continues to engage in illegal mining will be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of the law,” Attah said.
He expressed concern over the growing number of fatalities linked to unregulated mining activities, stressing that the Mining Marshals would no longer tolerate unsafe mining practices that endanger lives, particularly those of young people.
Attah reaffirmed the commitment of the Mining Marshals to sanitising the nation’s mining sector through sustained enforcement of mining regulations and stronger collaboration with traditional institutions and host communities.
In his response, the Ejeh of Ankpa commended the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and the NSCDC Commandant General for responding to the concerns of the community over illegal mining activities.
The monarch pledged the full support of the Ankpa Traditional Council in promoting safe and responsible mining, noting that a properly regulated mining industry would create employment opportunities for youths while safeguarding lives and the environment.
He declared zero tolerance for illegal and unregulated mining and assured the Federal Government that the traditional institution would work closely with the Mining Marshals and other relevant agencies to ensure that mining activities in Ankpa comply with extant laws.
Both parties concluded the meeting by reaffirming their commitment to sustained collaboration aimed at eradicating illegal mining, protecting host communities and ensuring that Ankpa’s mineral resources contribute to the socio-economic development of Kogi State and the country.
By PRNigeria
