The Federal Capital Territory Administration says it is poised to put an immediate halt to all illegal mining operations within the FCT due to the dangers such activities pose to the health of residents in those communities.
This was disclosed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, when he led a delegation from the FCTA on a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja, according to a statement obtained by Transport Day.
The FCT Minister described the situation where a mining company without obtaining the proper permits from the relevant authorities began gold mining operations in Kutasa community of the Abuja Municipal Area Council with the tendency of polluting the community’s water source.
A recent fact-finding visit to the area by the FCDA, the Minister said “what they saw is something of great concern to us as an administration, particularly because in our records, we had no inkling whatsoever that the company was even granted a mining lease to prospect for gold in an area within the FCT and the company went ahead and entered into agreements with the local communities without the knowledge of the traditional structure, as well as the local government administration structure. All these, obviously, are wrong, because they are totally against existing policy of mining”.
The Minister expressed the appreciation of the FCTA to the Ministry of Water Resources for drawing the attention of the Administration to the activities and dangers posed by the mining activities at that location for which a report has been prepared to be discussed with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.
Malam Bello also disclosed that the FCTA was also in discussion with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to improve the quality of the wáter of Jabi lake in Abuja.
According to the Minister, population expansion coupled with human activity has compromised the water quality of the Lake which is entirely manmade and draws its supply from the Katampe Hills. He said FCTA was interfacing with the Ministry to enhance its quality.
