Civic organisation, Urban Alert has again expressed concern over the attitude of governments on the contamination of the Osun River that serves over 70 communities in Southwest Nigeria.
The group, in 2021 released a laboratory result that proved the existence of mercury, lead, cyanide and other toxic elements in the river caused by activities of gold miners operating in many communities in Osun State.
In a statement by its Communications Associate, Titilade Alayande on World Environment Day, Urban Alert said the group is committed to a safe environment, mineral resource accountability, open governance, data-driven transparency and citizen participation.
Having affirmed that the river which serves over 70 communities in Southwest Nigeria, has been heavily contaminated by mercury, lead, cyanide and other toxic elements by gold miners operating in many communities in Osun State, Nigeria, nothing significant has been done by the Federal and Osun State Governments despite series of verbal commitment at different times.
“The contamination of the 213km iconic Osun River has continued to take centre stage in conversations around environmental degradation.
“Recall that the Director General of the Nigerian Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, had during a media parley on 25th August 2022, disclosed the readiness of his agency to ensure the safety of the Osun River having concluded its investigation on the life-threatening activities of gold miners in some parts of Osun State.