The Chairman of the Taraba State Taskforce on Illegal Mining and Tree Felling, General Jeremiah Faransa, stated on Wednesday that illegal mining activities in the state have caused environmental damage, making the region more vulnerable to global warming and climate change.
Faransa, while briefing journalists in his office, noted that the detrimental effects on the environment have already begun to manifest, citing the prolonged drought experienced in the state in August.
He warned that without drastic measures, desert encroachment in the state could surpass that of Borno State within a few years.
He disclosed that the state’s 21 forest reserves have been reduced to almost nothing, with some turned into farmland or illegal mining sites.
“The level of destruction done to the state can never be undone. All 21 forest reserves have been destroyed, some transformed into farmland or mining sites.
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“If you visit most of these areas, you will shed tears at the extent of environmental damage.
“The law stipulates that miners must cover at least 80% of excavation after mining, yet none comply. Even the Corporate Social Responsibility obligations they owe host communities are disregarded. Most miners are foreigners lacking proper documentation.
“Our operations focus on environmental protection and public safety. We don’t want what happened in Ogoniland to happen in Taraba.
“The effects of climate change and global warming are staring us in the face, and we must act quickly. If we don’t address this, Taraba may become worse than Maiduguri in terms of desert encroachment.
“We welcome investors in the mining sector but insist on compliance with proper practices, and soon we will establish guidelines for miners to follow.
“People criticize us for seizing charcoal, but we are intercepting shipments because individuals from Abuja are hauling it for business, with several trucks leaving the state. We have no issues with charcoal used within Taraba, but we cannot encourage indiscriminate tree felling for profit,” he said.
