The Bayelsa State Government has banned all unauthorised and illegal mining of mineral resources across the state’s eight local government areas. Community leaders were warned against signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with illegal miners, with the government declaring such agreements null and void.
Governor Douye Diri made the pronouncements on Monday during a town hall meeting in Yenagoa with community leaders, top officials, and stakeholders from Southern Ijaw, Brass, and Ekeremor local government areas. He was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Diri described the mining of silicon — also known as “black sand” — at Foropa, Agge, Die-ama, and other coastal communities by outsiders as illegal and a serious threat to both the environment and public health. He ordered the immediate suspension of all such mining activities and prohibited communities from signing MoUs with companies to mine minerals without government approval.
While emphasising that his administration is committed to creating an enabling environment to attract local and foreign investors, the governor stressed that no business would be allowed to undermine the safety, security, or environment of the people. He warned that any community leader violating the directive would face arrest and prosecution under relevant state laws.
Governor Diri added that illegal mining not only breaches environmental impact assessment regulations but also poses security risks and deprives the state of legitimate revenue.
He said, “The state has recently witnessed a dimension we are not comfortable with. There is a developing issue in Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs. People from outside the state are illegally mining silicon or black sand in our communities, without the authorisation of the government, and that has to stop forthwith.
“It is both dangerous to the safety of our environment and health. Unchecked Illegal mining activities in the north contributed to the banditry that has engulfed several states in the north. We won’t allow that here. We learned that some communities have gone ahead to sign MoUs with these illegal miners. The government is angry with those communities for signing agreements with miners without consulting the relevant government institutions and agencies.
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“Government is, therefore, directing the immediate suspension of all such illegal silicon or black sand mining activities across the state. An embargo is hereby placed on MoUs between communities and companies from within or outside the state. And every MoU already signed without government approval is hereby declared invalid and of no effect.”
On his part, the Commissioner for Environment, Ebi Ben-Ololo, stressed the need for communities to obey an extant law passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, which regulates and outlines the procedure for carrying out mining activities with necessary government authorisation.
On their part, the Paramount Ruler of Foropa, His Royal Highness Olabai Olozulu, his Die-ama Community counterpart, His Royal Highness Baratuaipre Amaene and the CDC Chairman of Odioma, Chief Forcebray Eketekpe, commended the state government’s intervention and pledged the support of their respective communities.
Recall that the Northern States Governors’ Forum recently called for the suspension of mining activities for six months.
This followed the abduction of school children and killings in some states.
They identified illegal mining as a key driver of insecurity.
