June 11, (THEWILL) A flourishing dredging company operating in some communities in Imo State, Uche Mark Dredging Company, has dissociated itself from alleged environmental degradation arising from unguarded and illegal sand mining.
Insisting that the dredging company, which operates in such communities as Egbeada, Ihiagwa, Ohio, and Akwakuma, has consistently complied with government-established environmental regulations, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Uche Emeto, fondly called Uche Mark, explained that the activities of the company at the Nworie River Source, Egbeada, in the Mbaitoli Council Area in the state had never in any way resulted in environmental degradation/pollution, nor has it provoked any form of unrest in the communities mentioned.
Emetos reaction came on the heels of a statement reportedly credited to one Ebele Osemake Chikezie, who, among other things, alleged that he(Emeto) had, through his activities, generated bad blood among indigenous groups against one another, exploiting their divisions to secure access to restricted areas.
The renowned employer of labour in his statement clarified that his company neither acquired plots near Rivers on the guise of legal purchase nor through dredging.
Emeto in his statement also stated that since the company began operation in the Nworie River, there had never been any widespread outcry of environmental degradation, water pollution and escalation of conflict over land resources that was linked to the company.
The statement made it clear that those raising the allegation of environmental degradation are merely crying wolf where there is none and are also trying to give a dog a bad name just to hang.
According to Emeto, the company that shared his experience in the industry starting from 2011, mentioned working with various contractors and establishing a Cooperative society to facilitate permit payments to the Federal Government.
Continuing, he said that his company operates with a suction dredging machine primarily in a river centre without initial problems with the government or community.
He highlighted the introduction of other machines and operators, including the Keke Machine, which he said causes more devastation due to its operational nature.
Shedding more light on the issue, Emeto alleged that some miners, particularly those associated with the Miners Association of Nigeria, Imo State Chapter, prioritise profits over environmental concerns, saying that these operators destroy lands and ecosystems.
He cited the case of one Prince Onyenwewa, whom he accused of leading a group of destructive miners, even as he expressed concerns about the governments inconsistent policies and the influence of a cabal in the industry.
He advocated for stricter regulations and better oversight to prevent environmental damage.
We call upon the state government to strictly enforce the regulations governing the mining industry and consider dissolving Imo State Minerals Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) in accordance with the law. This measure will promote transparency and compliance within the sector.
Corroborating the submissions of Emeto, Engr. Francis Okehi, a licenced miner, highlighted the issue of miners operating without guidelines and emphasised the need for environmentally friendly practices and proper regulations.
Okehi dismissed allegations levelled against Emeto as frivolous, baseless, ridiculous and untenable and questioned the credibility of the sources of such allegations.
He accused Prince Onyenwewa and the chairman Imo State Minerals Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), Hon. Dominic Mgbe, of hijacking the regulatory process for personal gain
Okehi urged the government to regulate the mining sector effectively, stressing the need to prevent environmental damage and ensure sustainable practices.
He noted that there are many miners operating without guidelines, as well as illegal miners and those who mine without instruction, not just licenced.
Still throwing more light on the activities of the illegal miners, he said that these are not just mining without a licence but mining without guidelines.
For one to engage in mining, he said that apart from possessing a licence that it is also necessary to have a guideline that would be environmentally friendly to host communities, government, infrastructure around and to oneself.
He acknowledged that primarily the government has agencies in charge in regulating miners, however he admitted the involvement of licenced miners in assisting the government to checkmate the activities of unlicensed miners who operate without guidelines and who use wrong tools, but that this is weak, saying that some government officials aid and abet these illegal miners.
He explained that there are places where a particular machine is used to mine without problem, while in other places, if you still use a dredging machine or another type to mine, there would be a problem.
Okehi disclosed that the problem of mining in Imo State which made some of them to leave the state is that some people hijacked the activities of the regulators, see it as a money making venture, just as the state government permitted such people and appointed those who have no knowledge about what mining is all about.
He stated that the Chairman of MIREMCO, who also raised allegations against Uche Emeto, is not a miner and has no knowledge of what mining is all about, saying backstabbing and blackmailing is the game in the industry, and I am a victim of this.
Okehi, who narrated his experience when he was operating in Imo state, accused Prince Onyenwewa of using an illegal task force to extort money from the miners, while the money they extort does not go into the governments purse.
He recalled that the same Prince Onyenwewa abandoned his mining work and machines, joined the group and since then had not done any other business other than chasing people around and making money from them, misleading the government and creating confusion.
Okehi stated that the state government is losing millions of Naira in potential revenue due to the illegal activities of miners. Instead of contributing to the governments internal revenue, the sector is being undermined by extortion, resulting in significant losses.
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