The Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on all federal and state regulatory agencies to enforce safety precautions in the storage and handling of explosives, especially the indiscriminate use of dynamites by miners in various quarry sites across the state.
The resolution, which was sponsored by the Majority Leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, was necessitated by the need to put in place measures towards protecting residents of the state from the activities of mining operators, especially illegal miners.
Adeleye, who represents Odogbolu State Constituency, submitted that with an assessment of the occurrence that claimed lives and properties in the neighbouring Oyo State, it has become imperative to address the potential dangers posed by numerous mining sites across the state-controlled mostly by unregistered foreigners who often disregard environmental safety laws.
Adeleye added that the State Ministries of Environment, as well as Industry, Trade, and Investment, must be mandated to actively enforce and ensure strict compliance with safety regulations within the mining sector, noting that such a proactive approach is crucial in preventing disasters and protecting the lives and property of residents and public infrastructure.
The passage of the resolution followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Hon. Bisi Oyedele, and supported by other lawmakers after an extensive deliberation on the priority for the safety of the people and preservation of the environment at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Other lawmakers, including Bisi Oyedele, Yusuf Amosun, Babatunde Tella, Waliu Owode, and Adegoke Adeyanju, who corroborated Adeleye’s submissions, cited examples of various environmental infractions posed by the activities of illegal miners.
Acknowledging that the mining sector was on the exclusive list, the lawmakers clarified that the state needed to put in place necessary measures to monitor and safeguard the people of the state.
They urged residents of the state to report any unsafe mining practices or storage of dynamite in their vicinity to relevant government agencies.
The lawmakers noted that the motion was a preventive measure and as part of their legislative interventions to further put concerned government agencies on their toes towards ensuring the protection of lives and environmental safety.
Speaker Elemide implored all ministries, departments, and agencies connected with upholding safety measures to strengthen their operations to prevent anything that could compromise the existing safety, peace, and tranquilly being enjoyed in the state while preserving the ecosystem.
