ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNMENT THROUGH SEALS OFF SITES OF SAND BEACH MINING AT NIGER STREET FEGGE ONITSHA, FOR VIOLATIONS.
Sequel to the many orders and notices by Anambra State Government to sand beach miners at Niger Street Fegge, Onitsha South LGA, The TC Chairman of Onitsha South LGA, Hon Emeka Orji led the team of OCHA Brigade and Security agents to seal off the sites of sand miners along Niger Street, Fegge Onitsha, starting from Ugo Foam Industry down to Freedom (Biafra) Market culvert.
The council boss warned the sand beach miners to stop any operations in the sites immediately, Recall that sand beach miners had been advised to properly cover their tippers very well and avoid overloading sands in the tippers to forestall sands from pouring on the road, thereby causing damage on the Newly Constructed Niger Street Road, Fegge and other places in the LGA.
Also there have been several efforts made by the government through meetings with the sand beach miners and tipper drivers loading sands at the bank of River Niger, on the need to ensure that environmental laws and safety are strictly obeyed.
Despite the several meetings and efforts so far made, the sand beach miners continued unabated, with their illegal activities of pouring sands on the roads, thereby causing nuisance and environmental hazards, the drainages in some parts of the council area had been blocked by sands from the sand miners and tipper drivers, also with the added load of sands from tippers, the dumping of sands on the already Asphalted Roads across the LGA is a major source of concern to other road users.
In a twist, a NIWA official with the team of Army personnel arrived the scene with complaints of trying to meet with the LGA Chairman to iron out the issues. The Chairman told them to come to his office if they have any thing against the directive of the state government, not on the field, The NIWA official went off, only to go and unseal the sand mining sites without the knowledge of the council boss, the sites which had already been sealed on the order of Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
On getting information that the NIWA official with his army team have unsealed the sites hitherto sealed, Mr Chairman, Hon Emeka Orji returned back to the sealed sites and confirmed truly that the sites had been unsealed by the NIWA official with the Army personnel, The Onitsha South Chairman, ordered once more, that the sand beach miners should stop their operations of sand mining instantly, in the said areas, while ordering the arrest of anyone seen on the sites from henceforth.
