Ondo State Government has directed all companies carrying out mining activities in the state especially those in the solid minerals sector to obtain clearance for their operations from the State Environmental Protection Agency ODSEPA in order to continue to carry out their operations unhindered.
The Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Environment Hon Oyeniyi Oseni gave the directive at a meeting with the companies carrying out quarry activities in the state in his office in Akure.
In a statement by ODSEPA’s Director of Media and Advocacy,, Prince Bolu Diesel AJIJO, the Special Adviser who gave the Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, a thump up for resuscitating the environmental watchdog agency, ODSEPA after many years in comatose said the sectoral engagement which he has started will be a continuous one.
According to him the engagement is to intimate the quarry operators on the essence of the agency, its laws, regulations and powers and to know the operators in order to build a synergy and cordial relationship beneficial to all concerns.
He said unlike some sister states like Lagos and Ogun that have established a functional Environmental Watch Dog Agencies over the years side by side with the main.Ministries of Environment, the absence of agency like ODSEPA over the years has caused alot of havoc to the biodiversity and ecosystem as nobody is on ground to monitor and enforce environmental compliance regulations in the state.
While acknowledging the fact that mining is on the exclusive legislative list and that the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development is directly in charge of issuing operating licenses and cadastral permits to operators the Special Adviser remanded the operators that as they are aware the the land and the environment they are operating belong to the State Government who holds it in trust for the people and it is its duty to protect ecosystem from harmful effects
Hon Oseni advised the quarry companies in the state to embark on community engagements before and when they have started their operations in an area to reduce areas of frictions between them and their host communities.
The Special Adviser who allayed the fear of the quarry operators of likelihood of being subjected to double taxation and payment of dues having obtained their licenses and cadastral permits from Abuja through the Federal Mine Officers FMO said on they need to do is to attach such documents to the forms ODSEPA and apply for clearance.
Hon Oseni who told the operators that there is no place hide promised to robustly engage the Federal Mining Officer in the state to ensure an harmonious relationship between all the stakeholders.
Earlier, the Administrative Secretary of the Agency Princess Korede Giwa underscored the need for all stakeholders in the quarry business to be on the same page because their activities are injurious to the environment especially the chemical and explosives being used for blasting.
Princess Giwa warned that it won’t be as business as usual operatives of ODSEPA Monitoring and Compliance Department will be paying unscheduled visits to all companies operating in the state to ensure strict compliance to Environmental Audit Report and Monitoring to ensure a safer and healthier ecosystem for all.