Following the recent discovery of illegal gold mining activities in Egbetua Autonomous Community in Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Area of Edo, the state government has given a 7-day matching order to the miners to vacate from the site, hence, the law will fall on them.
The Commissioner for Mining and Energy in Edo State, Enaholo Ojiefoh, who led a team of security personnel to meet with Chiefs and Elders of Egbetua Community on Saturday, gave the warning on behalf of the state governor, Godwin Obaseki.
He said that the state government is interested in the growth and development of the locality, noting that it has zero tolerance for crime and illegalities in the state
He said: “I want to give a serious warning to everybody here (residents of Egbetua) that if you are part of these criminals that have been working in our forest mining our precious mineral, your days are numbered.
“If you are been working, corporating with them as a community, youth, man or woman, or you are the one who helps them to buy fuel that they use in the forest, or you are the one giving them access to the forest, your days are numbered.
“I want you (Elders of Egbetua Community) to send this message to everybody, tell them that we are giving them (gold miners) seven days to vacate that forest (Odo bush)”.
Continuing: “It is a matching order from the state government to flush them (illegal gold miners) out of this palace and that is why you are seeing different security agencies.
“They can’t be exploiting our solid mineral and still be kidnapping, raping, our wives, girls, chasing our men away and using that place (forest) as a trap where they keep kidnappers”, he said.
The Commissioner disclosed that the report of the visit will be forwarded to the Minister of Solid Mineral Development and governor.
He, however, assured that the state government would be working with all legal mining companies in Edo and bring in investors for the development and growth of the area
“Anybody that is mining here, that even has documents but did not collect consent from the community, their licenses will be revoked
“We are going to review all the mining licenses before we open up gold mining here. We are going to review all the mining licenses and they are giving to sign undertaken an agreement for peace to reign in our land”, he said
Speaking with our correspondent through the telephone, the Head-Chief of Egbetua Community, Chief Peter Momoh, expressed appreciation for the invention of the state government, saying that it will help in no small measures to address the menace of illegal gold miners in the community.
He promised to commission the community town crier to take the warnings of the Edo State government to residents of the Egbetua until the expiration of the seven-day order.
It would be recalled that Egbetua Community recently called on the Edo State Government to help halt the activities of illegal gold miners, which it said has led to criminal activities in the area.
The gold mining site, it was gathered has been in operation for over 25 years and it’s located inside the Odo bush, about 15 kilometres from the main town of Ososo.
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