The Ebonyi State Government, on Thursday, sealed Greenfield Metals, a mining site in Ihietutu Community, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that two people died while three others were injured when a landslide occurred at the mining site last weekend.
Speaking to reporters during the sealing of the site on Thursday, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals in Ebonyi State, Chidi Onyia, explained that the decision was to create an avenue for a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the recent fatalities.
Mr Onyia said the proposed investigation was important because lives are at stake, and that the state government would not make a hasty conclusion.
He said relevant agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were actively involved in the investigation.
The commissioner noted that initial reports suggest the unfortunate event was not due to negligence but rather a natural occurrence.
He, however, cautioned against hasty press statements which he said have exacerbated tensions within the community.
“It’s quite unfortunate that what happened here took the lives of two of our people working at the mining site.
“We commiserate with the families and others who were injured, and as a government, our primary concern is to protect the lives and well-being of our citizens,” he stated.
Mining operations
Mr Onyia argued that the deadly landslide had nothing to do with mining procedures and acknowledged that such incidents can occur globally, even in top countries renowned for their mining practices.
“These are things that could go beyond human control,” he remarked, stressing that this particular incident did not appear to stem from carelessness.
Mr Onyia urged Nigerians to refrain from jumping to conclusions based on unverified information.
The commissioner contended that most of the individuals who circulated information about the incident had never visited the site nor engaged with the families.
He indicated that the mining site in question predominantly employs open-cast methods, harmonising with the government’s advocacy for safer mining practices in the region.
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What the mining company said
Also speaking during the visit, Henry Ahanotu, the chief executive officer of Greenfield Metals, maintained that the unfortunate landslide that occurred at the mining site was due to a natural occurrence.
Mr Ahanotu emphasised that safety was the company’s top priority, with stringent measures in place to ensure that Health, Safety, and Environment standards were rigorously maintained.
“It is quite unfortunate that this incident happened. We did not expect this to occur, as we take every precaution to ensure our workers adhere to safety regulations,” he stated.