Imo Assembly resolves to stop illegal sand mining

The Imo House of Assembly has resolved to urge Gov. Rochas Okorocha to stop sand mining at Nworie River and its environs.

The House made the resolution following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr Lugard Osuji (Owerri Municipal APC).

Osuji noted that constant excavation of sand on the river would threaten the structural integrity of the bridges, thereby endangering lives.

He also noted that the mining posed a serious erosion threat to buildings around the area.

The legislator further noted that this would result in environmental degradation especially when the extraction rate exceeded the rate of regeneration of extracted materials.

He said that the incessant mining would lead to the destruction of riverine vegetation, pollution of water sources and destabilisation of coastal barriers.

According to him, the rampant excavation also destroys the habitat of creatures and organisms.

“It is imperative to note that sand mining, especially near rivers and streams, can lead to environmental problems when the rate of extraction of sand, gravel and other materials exceeds the rate at which natural process generate these same materials.

“It also leads to the destruction of riverine vegetation, pollution of water sources and destabilisation of coastal barriers and river beds, resulting in flooding of communities near the river,” he said.

He, therefore, prayed the House to urge Okorocha to direct the relevant agencies, including the Ministries of Works, Environment and the state Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO) to ensure that the mining was stopped.

The Speaker, Mr Acho Ihim (Okigwe APC), thereafter, constituted a six-member committee headed by Osuji to investigate the activities of the miners.

NAN

The post Imo Assembly resolves to stop illegal sand mining appeared first on Vanguard News.