The Governor of Osun State, Mr. Ademola Adeleke has lamented environmental degradation caused by the activities of miners, especially in the east senatorial district of the state.
Adeleke, who said underground water across the senatorial district comprising Local Government Areas in Ife and Ijesa land became polluted due to activities of miners, made the disclosure at a meeting with the Director General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Agency, Engr Obadiah Nkom, in Abuja.
The governor then affirmed the readiness of his administration to ensure all necessary fees were paid for the state’s mining licenses to be secured.
A statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed, obtained in Osogbo on Sunday quoting Adeleke further read in parts, “I am meeting you today to affirm our administration’s readiness to revalidate our mining licenses. We apologize for the conduct of the previous government. Under my watch, the licenses will be better managed in compliance with relevant laws.
“We also thank the mining authorities for protecting the state mining assets during those transition periods. We appreciate the professionalism of the management of the licensing office. On our part, we will pay the required fees and we will move ahead with a transparent management of the field operations.
“We are however coming back to meet the Federal Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals. Osun has been brutally environmentally violated. The Federal Government gave mining licenses to have destroyed the Osun environment. Underground water across the Eastern senatorial district is polluted. Osun deserves a marshal plan to clean up her environment.”
Responding, Nkom expressed the readiness of his agency to partner with the state to revive the state’s mining sector.
