No fewer than 313 mining companies have been sanctioned by the federal government over non-fulfilment of environmental obligations.
Mr Salim Salaam, the director, Mines Environmental Compliance Department, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.
Salaam said the mining operators were issued sanction letters on March 20 for failing to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Programme (EPRP) and the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
He said four of the mining companies affected were given ‘stop work’ order, adding that the ministry had warned them severally but that they refused to comply with the environmental obligations.
