Governor of Ebonyi state David Umahi has warned Chinese mining companies to stop open mining.
He stated that miners must use modern methods to protect the public from the dangers of open mining.
The governor spoke at the funeral/internment of the late Ogochukwu Elem, the state All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader, at Echo alike in Ikwo Local Government over the weekend.
Elem and his two police escorts were killed inside one of the mining pits after their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a deep and large mining pit by the roadside. On Enyigba/FUNAI Road, the tragedy occurred.
Umahi, who was enraged by China’s continued use of open mining, warned that such practices were no longer acceptable.
“I continue to insist that we should use modern method of mining. These Chinese that are doing these things, if you go to their place, they don’t do open mining. Why is that everything is just possible in Nigeria? It is not acceptable.
“And when you are pursuing these people, our people collect peanuts and aid them and all these mining these things, the government benefits nothing. We collect little bribe and allow them at night.
“Today, lead and zinc have filled our homes without knowing the effect on our liver. It is very dangerous. This is why we say if we get to any house that is housing lead and zinc, we will seal it and revoke its right of occupancy” he said.
