The Network for Environmental and Climate Justice (NECJ) has lauded the government’s directive to ban riverbed mining, a move aimed at protecting the country’s waterways from environmental degradation.
On Tuesday, the government banned, with immediate effects, all alluvial mining activities nationwide in a bid to curb the massive mineral extraction that has destroyed water sources locally.
Riverbed mining has had a catastrophic impact on the environment, leading to the decimation of aquatic life, scarcity of clean water and pollution of rivers, which in turn has increased the risks of waterborne diseases.
In a statement, NECJ said the decision to ban riverbed mining was a right step in mitigating the activity's detrimental effects on the environment, society and economy.
“Promoting sustainable mining practices through regulation is critical in ensuring environmental sustainability and protecting local communities against some of the adverse effects associated with mining”, said the NECJ.
“We call upon authorities to ensure effective implementation of the law.”