By Bisola Adeyemo
Illegal mining activities in Nigeria has caused lots of damage to the environment particularly in the northern part of the country.
An estimated 80% of mining in the northern parts of the country is conducted illegally on an artisanal basis, involving over two million people who depend on it for survival.
Illegal mining is undertaken without state permission, in particular in absence of land rights, mining licenses, and exploration or mineral transportation permits.
The activity has so many negative destructive effects on natural resources, like the destruction of the natural habitat of different animal species. The dumping of chemicals in the mining could also pollute other areas near the mining sites.
Illegal mining activities were identified as the cause of environmental problems such as water pollution, deforestation, poor soil fertility, and limited access to land for agriculture productivity.
It also contributes to erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, significant use of water resources, dammed rivers, and ponded waters, wastewater disposal issues, acid mine drainage, and contamination of soil, ground, and surface water.
Mining activities also cause noise pollution as well as the atmosphere from the emissions of carbon which affect the quality of human health.
Habitat destruction is one of the main issues of mining activity. Huge areas of natural habitat are destroyed during mine construction and exploitation.
Reports have it that illegal mining activities in the country are being fuelled by the failure of the government to put in place measures to curb the activities of illegal miners.
Possible Way Forward.
The government should be able to provide strong regulations and access to funding for the sector, and the mining act should be amended to place ownership and control of mineral resources on state governments rather than the federal government.
Nigeria also needs to deal, through diplomatic channels, with the involvement of foreign nationals and corporations in organised crime in the country.