20th August, 2014
By Tayo Ogunbiyi
The waterways stretching from Badagry to Epe, (with a Peninsular in between, a lagoon at the back and the Atlantic in front), Ikorodu to Marina, Badagry to Marina, among others, are nature’s gifts to Lagos. These are coastlines which many people wish for, being natural habitats yet to be subjected to devastation, global warming, climate change and other environmental hazards.
It is, therefore, shattering that in spite of several warnings by the Lagos State Government to illegal sand miners to desist from their ignoble acts or face prosecution and possible jail terms, the illegal activities have continued unabated, thereby posing threats to gas distribution channels and other buried infrastructure in the state.
It is, indeed, depressing that some of these illegal miners dig almost four to five meters to the Atlantic. Illegal mining constitutes serious environmental threats to society. In the first instance, the activities could aggravate flood disasters in some areas and expose the entire state to severe consequences. The damage done to gas and oil pipelines by illegal miners could also bring terrible disasters to those living along the coastlines, if not now but certainly in the future.
On the economic side, illegal miners are thieves who disallow government from maximizing the natural resources of the state for the good of all. Not only are they not licensed to engage in what they are doing, they are equally denying those that are lawfully permitted by law the leeway to operate. Illegal sand mining is equally a direct cause of erosion which has destroyed lives and property of law abiding citizens and still threaten lives and property of more citizens.
It impacts negatively on wildlife, as sea animals that depend on sandy beaches for their nesting, are sent into near extinction. It also destroys fishery , causing economic problems for people who rely on fishing for their livelihoods. They are put out of business, worsening poverty, encouraging criminal activities as these people become desperate for survival. Perhaps, more importantly, illegal sand mining poses a great threat to tourism enterprise in the state, as beaches and other sites people would have visited for relaxation and other social activities, have been devastated.
These acts of illegality run contrary to the law enacted in 2004 by the fifth Lagos State House of Assembly, entitled: “A Law To Provide For The Regulation And Grant of Permit To Any Person Conducting Sand Dealing And Dredging Operation In Lagos State And For Connected Purposes.” The law stipulates that every person, corporation, partnership or body involved in sand dealing and/or sand dredging operation should obtain an operational permit from the state.
Illegal mining is a very dangerous business that nobody should be involved in and it is pleasing that the state Government is making effort to put a stop to it. Consequently, the state government is poised to streamline the activities of sand miners and dredgers in line with international best practices . This is being done through new strategies meant to check and coordinate sand mining and dredging activities and avoid serious and irreparable catastrophe to the landscape. Existing legislation recommends a fine of N2 million or six months in jail or both for illegal dredging. However, with the activities not abating, this penalty appears incapable of deterring those involved in the illegal practice. There is, therefore, an urgent need for a review.
Since the crime is a local one, it is important that community leaders, representatives of the people and traditional rulers within the communities where this dangerous crime occur, rise up to the challenge. Since illegal miners are not ghosts, community leaders can , therefore, not feign ignorance of their activities. Similarly, law enforcement agencies should summon courage and cooperate with communities leaders and other stakeholders to stem the tide of illegal mining and sand dredging in the state.
In order to sustain what is left of the aesthetics of the environment and frustrate a possible disaster arising from the activities of these illegal sand miners, Lagos State Government has commenced full enforcement of related laws.
It is heart warming that the Enforcement Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, has shown leadership in action, by arresting these illegal sand miners and others along the coast lines , whose activities constitute danger to the coastal communities in the state. The enforcement exercise is to ensure that sand miners and dredgers found operating illegally in unauthorised places are arrested , prosecuted accordingly and sanity returned.
It is pleasing that those operating illegally can no longer escape the long arms of the law , as they are now scared of the law enforcement officers. This is a challenge to the officers. They must not relent in their cleansing operations, till illegal sand mining and dredging is completely eradicated in the state. To ensure that the war against illegal sand mining is effectively coordinated, registered miners should form an association to complement government’s actions. They would be able to identify and assist the state inn getting rid of these unscrupulous citizens, whose activities are injurious to their business.
In a world that is being confronted with serious environmental threats from Cape to Cairo and Beijing to Melbourne, it is important that all stakeholders join hands to ensure that the danger of illegal sand mining is tackled head long in the state.
•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja