Govt to fight illegal sandmining in Lagos

Dayo Ayeyemi, Lagos

In order to guide against natural disaster and enhance sustainable environment of the Lekki Ajah sub region, the Lagos State Government has put in place measures to curtail the activities of illegal sand miners within the corridor.

It is of note that illegal excavation activities have turned sand into one of the most lucrative mineral resources in the state. The booming trade of illegal sand mining on the Lekki sub region has defied official regulation; and also has become a subject of concern to residents of nearby estates, who have warned that the development, if not quickly curtailed could cause serious environmental degradation and expose the area to the possibility of ocean surge.

Prominent sites where the incidence of illegal sand digging are pronounced include Lekki, Langbasa, Ajah and some communities in the axis. However, the state authority has come out with stipulated procedures tobe followed before embarking on sand mining in the axis. Some of the measures are the need to carry out Environmental Impact Analysis(EIA) by sand miners before embarking on mining activities and the need for miners to register with government in order to determine the level of sand mining and areas prone to dangers in the area.

Without wasting much time, the state government has begun to enforce the law of the state to arrest and punish anyone found guilty of illegal mining in the region. Showing seriousness about its plan, the state government had recently arrested more that 30 illegal sandminers and nine sand trucks along Badore/Langbasa road in Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Government.

The arrest, according to the Lagos Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Price Segun Oniru, became necessary because the groups of illegal operators have been warned at different occasions to desist from illegal actions or else face the wrath of the law.

According to him, any organization or agency that wish to engage in dredging should make available an Environmental Impact Analyses and other environmental document which would be examined by the ministry and assessed to determine whether they are qualified to be granted permission or not.

He stated that there are places along the coastal lines that need to be dredged, but necessary procedures and analyses need to be carried out before the appropriate authority granted such areas legal approvals.