Stakeholders advocate decommissioning of mining sites in Enugu

Stakeholders have demanded the decommissioning of all the moribund coal mining sites in Enugu State.

The stakeholders, made up of environmental rights activists, retired miners, their family members and the media, took the stand during a media interactive and town hall on coal mining held in Enugu over the week.

It was organized by the Renevlyn Development Initiative, RDI, in collaboration with other partners – New Life Community Care Initiative, NELCCI; Neighborhood Environmental Watch, NEW, Foundation; the Community Development Advocacy Foundation, CODAF, and Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN.

Various speakers at the forum harped that the 70 years of coal mining in the State had not been of any tangible benefit to the miners, their family members or the state in general.

They said it has, however, been years of pains, tales of woes and environmental degradation.

The stakeholders resolved to write the Enugu State drawing its attention on the need to be in the vanguard for calls for a just energy transition that respects the people and the environment.

Mr Philip Jakpor, the Executive Director of RDI, while delivering his opening remarks, maintained that coal mining was not of any economic benefit to the state, adding that it was a disinvestment to the communities.

Jakpor, who observed that the Enugu State government banned illegali mining activities in 2023, was of the opinion that, “While this action was good, we had anticipated that the state government would work with the Federal government to carry out an environmental audit to ascertain the true health of the bed rocks to continue to sustain life in Enugu.

“There are fears that Enugu may be sitting on a time bomb due to the underground mining that happened during the mining periods.

“But instead, it would seem the state government embarked on a re-certification exercise of miners.

“The announcement last month by the Enugu State Government of December as the deadline for mineral title holders to commence coal mining operations in the state lends credence to our argument.

“There are many cases of the earth collapsing when locals are farming. There are open pits, ground water polluted and the communities overrun by herdsmen who have practically scared and chased away the original land owners.

“Locals allege that trucks laden with coal are leaving Enugu every day and no proper documentation to know if it is illegally done or with the full support of the state government.

“If it is with the support of the state we should know how much revenue is now coming in. We do not want to believe that a few individuals are now reaping what is the commonwealth of Enugu citizens.”

The stakeholders, therefore, demanded that “The Federal government should commence full and detailed audit of the post coal mining in Enugu.

“Decommissioning of the moribund mines to avoid further environment degradation and loss of human life.

“Profiling of former miners and adequate compensation paid to them. If they are now dead, their families should be identified and compensated.

“Inform and regularly update citizens of Enugu on what’s going on in regards to coal mining.

“Make public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by the selected firms.

“Make public any agreements the companies have with the coal mining communities.

“Properly explain the role of the Enugu state government in the extraction of coal. Is it a spectator, a collaborator or only some officials of government are running the show?

“Explore potentials in renewable energy sources.

“Support mining communities to form a network to share ideas, monitor their environment and report unsustainable practices by firms engaging in coal extraction in their communities.

In their separate remarks, Afulike Okezie, Project Officer of NEW Foundation, Barrister Chima Williams, ED of EDEN, Ubrei Joe-Mariere, Director, Campaigns and Administration, CODAF, as well as Mrs Florence Aneke, the Executive Director of NELCCI, all threw their weight behind the decommissioning of coal mining in the state.

Meanwhile, retired miners and family members of some late miners bemoaned years of neglect by the government.