Stakeholders Demand Decommmissioning of Moribund Coal Mines in Enugu State
The era of coal mining in Enugu State, Nigeria, may finally be coming to an end as stakeholders have called for the decommissioning of all moribund coal mines. The demand was made during a town hall meeting on coal mining held recently in Enugu, where environmental rights activists, retired miners, their families, and media representatives gathered to discuss the decades-old practice.
The 70 years of coal mining in Enugu have resulted in no tangible benefits for miners, their families, or the state. Instead, the stakeholders say they have only experienced years of pain, sorrow, and environmental degradation. The Enugu State government banned illegal mining activities in 2023, but stakeholders are dissatisfied with the lack of an environmental audit and accountability.
Philip Jakpor, the Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), underscored the economic and environmental negatives of coal mining. He observed that Enugu may be sitting on a ticking time bomb due to the underground mining that occurred during the mining periods, rather than conducting a thorough environmental audit. “But instead, it seems the state government only embarked on a re-certification exercise for miners,” Jakpor added.
Speaking at the forum, Jakpor described coal mining as a disinvestment for the communities, with locals accusing truckloads of coal leaving Enugu daily without proper documentation to establish whether the activities are illegal or authorized. Family members of late miners and retired miners also lamented the state of neglect by the government.
The stakeholders demands include:
- Full and detailed audit of post-coal mining activities in Enugu
- Decommissioning of moribund coal mines to avoid further environmental degradation and human life losses
- Profiling of former miners and payment of adequate compensation to them or their families, dead or alive
- Regulation and transparency in coal mining, making public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and agreements between coal firms and communities
- Shift in focus towards renewable energy sources
- Networking and support for mining communities to share experiences, monitor their environment, and report unsustainable mining practices
The call to action, supported by various organizations including Environment Defenders Network, EDN, and Community Development Advocacy Foundation, raises questions about the role of Enugu state government in the extraction of coal, amidst allegations of corruption and neglect of former coal miners.
