Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has sealed illegal Coal Minging sites in Ogbakiri- Ugwogo, Mkpunato, Nkpologu, in Uzo-Uwanu Local Government Area and warned operators to desist from the illegal operations or face the the law.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr Kingsley Nnaji, after sealing the site warned that no mining activity should take place there until the operators come to his office to validate their documents.
”We are sealing this site and leaving a warning here that no mining operation will take place until the operators come to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to validate their documents.
“So, this site is sealed until they come and identify themselves.
“We are a combined team of the officials of the Ministry of Environment and officials of Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources,” Nnaji said.
Nnaji directed the security of the site to Ezeugwu Alphonsus, leader of a local vigilante group in the town, and asked him not to allow the operators to carry out any activity there until they complete their validation.
According to the adviser: “If they failed to do that and still continued with the illegal mining at the site, they will be arrested, prosecuted and their equipment will be confiscated.”
He said there was already a court order to that effect and ordered Ezeugwu not to allow the operators remove the seal.
However, our correspondent reports that, no arrest was made as operators were not met at the site.
